


Farewell

by bioluminescentLesbian



Category: Hiveswap, Homestuck
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Complete, F/F, F/M, M/M, Sadstuck, Sadswap, There’s no porn or anything but this is about the older trolls about to be shipped off of Alternia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2019-09-05
Packaged: 2019-09-06 21:45:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 24,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16841026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bioluminescentLesbian/pseuds/bioluminescentLesbian
Summary: Tagora Gorjek learns that his Kismesis has been sent his Letter of Ascension and deals with the aftermath





	1. Chapter 1

The idea of growing up was a brutal irony. Tagora remembered that when he was a wriggler the only thing he talked about was ascension; how he would one day walk in the footsteps of his ancestor and be the best legislacerator in the solar system. The idea of prosecuting evil-doers is the stereotypical thing that teals imagined. Hell, when Tegiri and Tyzias were his only friends all they talked about was going beyond the moons. 

When they hit adolescence, however, it didn’t seem like anything would change, and nothing could ever be the same again. Tyzias lost the innocent light in her eyes as she got older. Tegiri’s rambunctious, extroverted behavior faded away as he became more stand-offish with time. Even Tagora himself realized that he became less introverted when he entered the secondary schoolfeed and more bold as he spat pitch thoughts towards Galekh. 

Now that they were close to ascension, Tagora couldn’t help but have dread for the upcoming sweep. Now that his age group has went through their adult molt, notices of positions are sent out to the trolls that managed to survive 10 sweeps on Alternia, giving them only 2 wipes to decide what to do before having to get onto the space crafts and being shipped off into the known universe. Tagora couldn’t be able to shake the feeling off of his psyche. The only people left around him were his kismesis, Galekh, his lifelong hate friend, Tegiri, and Tirona, a troll who wasn’t scheduled to ascend for another 5 sweeps.

He couldn’t even imagine what his face looked like the night he went to Galekh’s mailbox and finding the dreaded black and fuchsia envelope from the empire. Even worse was Galekh remaining stoic as he received the news.

“Did you not hear me?” Tagora held the letter as he felt his lip quiver, tears streaming down his face and raising the envelope in the air. Galekh was sitting at the desk of his bookhive, staring towards the floor. He slowly nodded before looking up, the vibrant blue eyes staring at his kismesis. Tagora shook his head as his hand fell down and dropped the envelope. Tears fell down his face at a faster rate as Tagora felt himself collapsing onto the ground. He covered his mouth to try to muffle the sobs, feeling Galekh’s arms wrap around him trying to comfort him. 

This isn’t supposed to be what kismesisitude is like; a good kismesis would try to make the mood lighter by interjecting humor about never having to see them again or even going the cold route of telling their crying spade to get over it. Galekh was different, however. It might’ve been finally realizing that he wouldn’t see him again, or perhaps the sight of Tagora broken down and wailing in the bookhive finally made the indigo shed some tears. 

It wasn’t supposed to end like this. Tagora found himself thinking back to when they were younger, wishing that they had more than only 2 wipes. Wishing that he would’ve valued their time more, wising that he would have made more time for them to be together.

This wasn’t how things were supposed to end. Things weren’t supposed to end. They weren’t supposed to say good-bye, not when they’re still so young.


	2. Chapter 2

“Well Tagora, I hate to break it to you but your mail should’ve been redirected to your hive after you went into your adult molt.”

The words were sterile. Despite the long standing relationship that the adult had with the tealblood behind the desk, Tirona had to be brief with him now that he was an adult. This was an awkward time to be him; while he hadn’t received is Letter of Ascension yet, adults had restricted interaction with the rest of the population. Hearing such a detached tone from someone he’s practically mentored since her first day was jarring to say the least. 

“I’ve been out of my molt for almost 4 wipes,” Tagora began, “and I’m unsure on where my L.O.A. has been sent to. It certainly hasn’t been delivered to my hive. I was just wondering if there was a chance that it was sent here— a slip up, if you will. The drones haven’t been working properly lately as a result from radio wave interference, you know.” 

The teen stared into his eyes before sighing. Tirona was still as law-abiding as ever. However even the goodiest of two shoes couldn’t refuse a friend in need. “Fine,” she looked to the wired husk on the corner of her table before picking up the handset and dialing a quick code. Looking away from Tagora, Tirona played with its cord with her finger, twirling it around as it rang. “Black coffee with cream and sugar, right?” 

“Yes, thank you,” Tagora spoke softly, finally taking a seat across Tirona’s desk. He didn’t realize how big he was until he realized he was barely oversized for the chair. She held a finger up to pause him. “Tyrrik you’re not busy, are you?” A small pause. “Do you remember what my coffee cup looks like right? That one and the really big teal cup? Can you put coffee in both of them, and in the teal one put cream and sugar in it? You’re the best.” She hangs up after a second longer, her eyes shifting back to the adult. “I normally don’t do that. I know he has a lot to work with but he never seems to be busy...I knew if I asked anyone else I would think they would poison me!” A nervous laugh. She smooths the fabric that lies on her lap. “Every other person here is so progressive that it feels like I’m the only one that stands for imperial law anymore...except that kid,” she motioned to the phone. “He’s only been here for half a sweep but I can see it in him that he cares about law and order on Alternia!” 

The taste in Tagora’s mouth soured. The nostalgia of being back in his office had made him forgotten Tirona’s mindset. A horrible shame that imperial propaganda had twisted her to support the empire so much so that she had devoted herself into exclusively persecuting trolls whose crimes had been blown out of proportion. “Even when you guys were around,” Tirona continued, “everyone here knew right from wrong. Even Kalbur! I always thought his nose was too buried in those books of his.” 

Before she could speak any further, there was a knock at the door, causing the two to look to it. The hinges creak open and a troll much smaller than Tagora walks inside the office, carrying a medium black mug and much larger teal thermos. He quickly approaches the desk before setting them on the table. Tagora couldn’t help but keep his bright teal eyes on him all the while.

“Thank you, Tyrrik,” Tirona said skin a much different tone than she had spoken towards Tagora initially. His small mouth curls slightly. “I have another question for you...have you noticed any weird mail that was delivered to any of the offices? Especially for T’arika’s office?” Tagora watched as the young troll pondered for a second before slowly rocking his head back and forth. 

“If I may,” Tagora began, the much smaller troll taking his eyes off of Tirona and locking a gaze with him. Pure curiosity and a hint of fear lies within the amber and gray. “The letter would’ve been black paper with fuchsia writing.” Without changing his expression, Tagora could see that something had clicked. Tyrrik turns around and exits the office. 

Minutes go by before finally returning, a letter in hand. Already opened, Tyrrik hands it to Tagora. The card was stained with something unidentifiable, and the pink ink too smudged to see who it was addressed to. “Wow, that can get someone into trouble,” Tirona piped up as she stood at her desk, leaning over to try to make out the wording. “Automatic death sentence if you show up late to ascension, right? I hope it isn’t too late.” 

Tagora gulped, pulling out the letter and opening it. One glance at the delivery date made him breathe a sigh of relief that the card was delivered and discarded last morning. He began to read it, his expression falling back to hopeless. “This one isn’t mine.” 

Tirona sat back down and huffed. “Then whose is it if not yours?” Tagora looks at her, lips pursed. “Did they forget that Tyzias died?” 

“We don’t know what happened to Tyzias. She disappeared.”

“We know that trolls who don’t report on Alternia,” Tirona was said with an almost somber tone. “and we know that Tyzias wasn’t an adult yet when she did.” A heavy silence filled the room as the words left her lips. Tagora looked to the floor, burning holes through the boards. 

“I’m sorry,” Tirona said after a while. “Who is the letter for?” 

Tagora didn’t look away, handing the message to the girl without a second thought. He couldn’t speak. From his peripheral vision Tagora noted Tirona glancing at the name and pulling a face. “Kalbur. What could they do with him before assigning you?” 

“You always point out his shortcomings,” Tagora finally spoke. It was delivered a little harsh. He holds his hand out for the letter, concealing it back into the envelope after receiving it. “Besides, if I recall correctly, Tegiri managed to pull above average grades throughout schoolfeed.” 

He rose to his feet, holding the cup. Offering it back to Tirona, “I believe this is yours.” She looked to the cup before nudging it back towards him. “Consider it a parting gift,” Tirona said. “I’m sorry that your letter wasn’t here...but you should consider that you’re still just newly molted. Maybe it’ll be here soon. Just don’t worry about it and you’ll be fine.” 

Tagora didn’t care to go into detail why he was so adamant on finding it. “I have to be on my way now,” he finally said. “Before the drones spot me fraternizing with you and all.” His eyes drift to the much younger troll. He slightly bends downward towards him. “Thank you, Tyrrik.” The smaller troll glanced at the adult before a smile creeped on his face. With a little nod, the troll rushed away out of the office. 

Tagora took his departure as a cue to leave, looking back to Tirona as he straightened his posture, “You too. If my letter does arrive here can you forward it to my hive?” Tirona nods as she finally takes her seat. Tagora started to walked to the door. As he opened the door and began to leave, there was a voice. 

“Are adults allowed to keep contact with Alternia?” Tagora turns to her. “Tirona we are not supposed to keep contact with those we knew on Alternia. That’s why we contribute slurry before departure, and that’s why the government doesn’t care about splitting up quadrants when we ascend.” 

More silence fills the air. A slight sniffle from her. “I didn’t know that.” 

“Neither did I.” 

“Good-bye then, Gor-Gor,” Tirona said almost somberly. Tagora nodded as took in his setting. With a passing thought he looked to her with a sick smile. “Good-bye you little gremlin.” A small laughter from his former co-worker. He waved her off before leaving, not looking back to the offices that he and his friends once called theirs. 

He didn’t expect to go two places one day, but now he had another task on hand: deliver the note to Tegiri.


	3. Chapter 3

After the short walk home from his former office and the eternity that it took to find his information book, Tagora sighed in relief as he skipped the majority of the pages. Most of the them were names and numbers to clients from his work, and most of them either ascended or dead. 

As the tealblood skipped into the T section, eyes landing on the highlighted bar on a particular page. Versus what was Tyzias’s or Tirona’s contacts, Tegiri’s was comparatively brief, only listing his residence and a work email. Shortly after his moly Tagora knew that he has his email purged, though it was much sooner than his own. It made him wonder if Tegiri had requested it himself. 

Without any sort of means to contact him, the only way to deliver the letter was making a physical visit. He sighed defeatedly as he collected himself (and the black letter) before heading out. Thankfully Tegiri’s hive wasn’t horribly far from his own, but it was too close to even consider taking a cab— he tried saving enough to ensure that he can have a decent room from Alternia to...wherever, and spending it to make a walk into a scuttlebuggy ride wasn’t going to help. Personally, grUber rubbed him the wrong way— Galekh would no matter what but it wasn’t something he could do.

As he began the not so far walk away, he manages to grab his palmhusk and began to dial a number. Putting the husk to his ear Tagora listened to the ringing, looking around the area to see what has changed and what hadn’t. “Hello?”

Tagora felt a pit in his chest as he heard his voice. It wasn’t going to get easier. He gulped before tried to ignore the feeling. “Hey. I went to the office.”

“Why didn’t you just call?” His kismesis asked. Tagora rolled his eyes. “Because if it was there on the off chance, I would already be there. Besides, the number was switched over before I left due to some sort of threat.”

“Was there?” His voice was a little curious. “Of course there was— I recall that Tegiri himself took care of the situation for the most part but I can’t remember if it was a legitimate bomb or just a letter.” 

“Wha— not that!” Galekh sighed heavily. His voice was more agitated but not anything that it once was before last dusk. “I mean, was there anything at the office?” 

Tagora hummed as he realized the misunderstanding. “Oh. Yeah, there was an ascension letter that was discarded in the office. Unfortunately it wasn’t mine, and it’s technically my duty to deliver it.” Tagora bit the tip of his tongue as he pondered to add something else. He does; “After this, I can hopefully swing by your hive so we can discuss some more.” 

“Is there going to be a literal discussion, or is it more akin to you crying in the crook of my neck and telling me that this is unfair?” Tagora felt almost appalled at the question before realizing the true intent by his words. He paused for a moment as he tried to maintain his cool facade. Finally he smiled into the phone, “You cannot claim innocence in that session. If I recall correctly, you were crying as well. Dare I say it was twice as much?”

“Lying ferret,” he sensed Galekh speaking through his gritted teeth. The tone in his voice was disgruntled, but Tagora could feel that it wasn’t platonic. He smiled with a not-so-innocent look in his eye. “Overly powered behemoth.” 

“Ambulance chaser.” 

“Coffee snob.”

“Insubordinate teal.”

“Weak-willed indigo.” 

There was silence over the phone before a bubble of soft, somber laugh. “I’m going to miss this.” Tagora felt the need to reprimand him for thinking like that. Predictable, being a realist.

“Shut up,” Tagora said to him softly. It didn’t have the bite that should’ve been there. “Just shut up. I’m almost at Tegiri’s,” his eyes look toward where the hive should be located. “Then I will try to get back to your hive and we can...talk about this. About us.” 

“Of course. In the meantime I can get my affairs in order,” Galekh said. “I hope to see you soon.”

“See you soon,” Tagora heard him hang the husk up first before taking it away from his ear. He felt his chest growing heavy, realizing he didn’t add any last remark that validated their kismesissitude. He had to ignore the feeling right now— sniffling on the sidewalk because his spade was given a wipe and 6 days wasn’t the best thing to do right now. Especially in front of Tegiri’s hive. 

He had to collect his composure. Tagora opened the phone’s camera app and put the front facing camera on display. Nothing seemed to be out of order. Putting it away, his teal eyes landed on the hive that he had listed as Tegiri’s. 

It was like any other hive on the street, yet something stood out from it. Its state of slight disrepair, the lack of lights on...surely Tegiri wasn’t already gone, was he? Tagora gulped before walking towards the door. 

Upon a closer look, he’s realized that the door was cracked. Alarming. Tagora walked closer, bringing his hand to the door and knocked on the frame. Once. Twice. A few more. “Tegiri?” No response. Where would he have gone if not to ascend? His letter was in Tagora’s hand— there’s no way of Tegiri getting his summons. Tagora pushed past the front door, getting a glimpse of the inside. 

Tagora had been to Tegiri’s a handful of times; he remembered how decorated the place was in animated cartoon memorabilia. The memories contrasted with the bare walls and shelves that were in the house. It seemed like nothing was there anymore. Tagora started to creep into the hive, glancing around the area; more empty shelves, holes where the weapons used to be— oh, hell, are those webs in the corner?

“Tegiri?” He called a little louder. “Are you here?” 

“Tagora.” The voice made him turn around all too quickly, looking behind him. A large figure stood behind the door, shutting it behind the much frailer being. 

Teals are supposed to come in one size— they aren’t supposed to be intimidating to walk up to. No muscle, no height, nothing that the familiar teal behind the door had to him. Tagora sighed as he recognized who it was. “Sweet Sufferer, Tegiri. You scared me.” The larger figure walked closer to him, stepping into the middle of the room with Tagora and reaching up to manually turn the light on, casting a light blue light to the room. 

“There’s limited chances that I can scare you, so I’ve decided to take everyone I get.” Tagora studied his body; a stature that seemed to be soft and muscular all at once, a rounded, square jaw, and brilliant purple contacts covering what should be teal eyes. 

“You and Galekh both with your commentary about time running out,” Tagora commented on. He glanced to the letter in hand. “Oh,” he heard the snarky tone in his voice drop. “My tomodachi, you finally got yours?” 

Tagora looked to his friend, eyes squinting at what he just said. “What? No!” He held it out towards the man with a butter taste on his lips. He saw his eyes fall to the black and fuchsia envelope. “I can’t find mine, so I went to the office and found yours instead.” 

Tegiri took the tainted letter into his hands and pulled out the summons, his eyes glancing what it said. “When did you get this?” 

“Tonight,” Tagora answered somberly. “It was apparently delivered be same night that...” he trailed off as he lost the words. Tegiri haphazardly folded the letter back up and stuffing it into his pants pocket. “So I have less than two wipes, then. I’m glad that I’ve come prepared initially.” His eyes glanced back up to Tagora, locking eyes for a second before Tagora shifted his back to the wooden floor. “I don’t know what to do.” 

“Well, first off, decide if this conversation is going to be here or online. It’s almost dawn,” Tegiri pointed out the window. Tagora looked in the direction, eyes on the beginning of the beginning of rays peeking over the horizon. “You’re welcome to stay here for the morning.” 

“I’ll have to notify Galekh before I do,” Tagora said, walking to the windows and pulling thick curtains over the window. “Perhaps catching up is in order in the night.”


	4. Chapter 4

Almost an hour or so after the curtains were drawn to block out the sun and drinking even more coffee, both trolls were still occupying the dining room. It never crossed Tagora’s mind that Tegiri would have incorporated his fascination with Eastern Alternia into his day-to-day lifestyle, but here they are, sitting on a tatami mat. All they’ve done with their time was catching up, and the vaguest discussions of relationships. Tagora only had Galekh; Tegiri avoided the question entirely, only stating that it was only his business. That was before they started talking about ascension. 

The mental gymnastics he had to do in order to comprehend that Tegiri drops a different language at random was almost too much for him. So much so that Tagora was caught off guard when Tegiri snaps in his face. “Excuse _you—_ ” 

“Tagora, were you even listening?” Tagora only answered in an offended glare. It didn’t take long for Tegiri to look disappointed. “Go figure; you’re so cheap you don’t pay attention. No wonder Galekh has a thing for you.”

“I—“ Was Tegiri always this quick with wit? “What was I supposed to be paying attention to? I can’t with you constantly switching languages, Tegiri.” He rolled his eyes— or that’s what Tagora presumed; in this lighting, all of it seemed to reflect off of Tegiri’s lenses and obscured the fake purple irises. “I was asking about why you’re so panicked about your letter, my tomodachi.” There he goes again. “Is it to prepare the extensive wardrobe you’re going to take? An idea of your new home’s environment, population, caste density, crime rate, or state of development?” 

All the questions went straight through him. None of the above— he wanted Galekh. He hated everything about him: how coarse his hairs become, the strength that can just pick up the troll to chuck him into the sun, the chap lips that he always pressed against his neck just to spite him, the stench of overpriced high blood coffee. 

“Oh,” Tegiri said in a somber tone after a moment of silence from Tagora. “I see that you’re missing someone. Or at least in the mourning process.” Tagora shot Tegiri a deadpan look. He couldn’t say he was wrong. The troll instead opted for silence and looked down. “A sore subject I see. I can refrain from talking about it.” 

Tagora wanted to say a lot to him; vent to the only thing he had as a friend left; tell him to shut up and move on; be vague and move on. He nodded slowly before taking a sip from the cup of coffee Tegiri provided earlier in the morning. “I don’t know what to do.” 

Tegiri gave a brief smirk as he adjusted his glasses, the lenses losing its glare briefly only to show that his eyes were shut. “Don’t worry. Lucky for you, I have just the perfect keikaku for this.” There he went again— Tagora barely cocked his head to the side in confusion. Should it be a word he’s familiar with?

“Keikaku means plan—“ 

Tagora yelped as he felt everything in him stiffen, becoming hyper aware that they weren’t alone. He didn’t dare look behind himself. His eyes dart to Tegiri, who now wore a confused expression looking back at Tagora. “Tagora, you needn’t be panicked over her; it’s just Poly.” He didn’t relax until he saw her enter his vision. 

The first thing he could tell about her was her blood, then the fact that she had a very real chance of taking Tegiri in a fight and winning, despite being almost a head shorter than him. Her clothes were baggy; her arms and legs that weren’t bandaged was littered in scars, and her eyes were vibrantly olive. She took a seat next to Tegiri, drinking from a cup of her own. As Tagora calmed down, he realized that she could be dangerous. 

“So if you’re Tagora,” she looked into her cup unamused, “does that mean I get the money for making you yell fuck?” Tagora blinked as he finally found words. Thinking back to earlier...he said it didn’t he? Yeah. Son of a _bitch._

Without another word Tagora felt his pocket for his wallet, taking it out and grabbing a bill out and handing it towards her. She takes it with a small smile. “Thanks.” With the banknote in hand she crumpled it before shoving it in her pocket before downing whatever was in the cup. After setting it down she glanced at Tegiri, “So, Tegs, what’s this plan of yours?”

“Okay, so it involves drones and—“

She waved a clawed hand in the air. “Drones are mediocre at best. Remember, we’re adults and drones get weird with adults. Anything else?” Tegiri was caught off guard, needing a minute before slumping down. “No. That was it. Do you have anything?”

Tagora watched the two talk, eyes moving back and forth. At his question, the teal interjects, “Shouldn’t you brief her on the situation?” 

“I’ve been listening since Tegs and you were talking about relationships,” she responded. “So as far as I know, you’re freaking out about your letter thing not in the mail. That or your spade’s being shipped off to a different galaxy.” Tagora choked up in a mix of horror, astonishment, and offense. Before he could speak, she waves her hand at him just like she did Tegiri. “Rather than expect a bucket of bolts to do our bidding, I can call in a friend of mine who knows his way around a robot.”

Tegiri glanced at her, “Who?”

“Mallek,” she dropped her hand cracked her knuckles, blowing a strand of hair up and out of her face. “I still keep in touch.” Tegiri scrunched his nose at the fact. “Isn’t that dangerous, talking to adults?”

“Nah, he found a loophole before he ascended,” Polypa began. “Adults and prepubescent trolls can’t communicate, but we’re both adults here— I’m grounded until we ascend, so it’s maybe just a misdemeanor. And besides,” she looks to him with a smirk on her face, “I hear the teals on his ship don’t enforce that sort of rule.” Tegiri finally sighs defeatedly. “Very well. When do we contact him?”

“Now,” she got up from the table. “I’m doing it now. Let me get my husktop.” She quickly walked out of the dining room, only to come back with a blue husktop decorated in stickers of various romance comedies and seldom Eastern Alternian animations. Sitting back down beside Tegiri, she looked towards Tagora and motioned him forward. “It should be lights out on board. We have to be quick about it.”

Tagora took the cue and shuffled towards the other side of Polypa, sitting down as she logged onto her Chittr account hitting a request to video chat to a certain _snakeBytes._

One minute turned into two before something answered. In the other end was complete darkness. “Shit, hold up,” a voice whispered groggily. Some shuffling before finally a door opened to reveal the figure; a shirtless troll with cerulean hoops piercing the pectoral muscles of his slime covered chest. Tagora scrunches his nose as the other moves before finally sitting down and moving the camera upwards to show his disheveled face; his hair was a mess, bright blue eyes having heavy bags underneath them, and even more piercings in his brows, nose, and even horns. 

“Should’ve brought my glasses,” he said as he yawns, covering his mouth with his hand. “I only have a few minutes before I get tanned and people get suspicious why I’m blue. What’s up,” he moves his hand away and squints at it, “...Polypa, Tegiri and...familiar guy.”

“Morning Adalov,” Tegiri greeted. “Can you still access Alternian databases?” Mallek deadpanned at the computer before registering what the words meant. “It’s a distance thing, actually,” Mallek started to get up, carrying the husktop with him towards a growing light source. Finally, the camera shifts upwards away from Mallek, towards the ceiling and down towards a window, revealing the vast depth into space, including two hazy satellites; purple and green surrounding a massive gray planet. “I think I’m close enough to access them. Now why do you guys want in them again?” The camera returned back to Mallek, sitting back down against the wall.

Tagora felt Tegiri and Polypa’s gaze on him. He cleared his throat before speaking. “I haven’t received my letter of ascension yet and I’m worried that it’s been lost with the courier drones.” Mallek hummed as he thought. “I’m a master at finding things but that’s going to take a little bit; can I get a name and a way to contact you later?”

“Yes. My name’s Tagora Gorjek, and—“

“Holy shit,” Mallek said as his face twisted to shock, with a wide smile. “Oh shit I know you now. You’re friends with Galekh, right?” Immediate giggles from the other two. Tagora grimaced. Embarrassing. “I know him, yes.”

“I think I can get your user from him,” Mallek said after a moment of recollecting himself. “I gotta go before someone catches me talking to you guys. See you around.” The video disconnects, and Polypa shuts the husktop. “That sounds promising.” 

Tagora took out his own palmhusk and opened up Chittr and going to his messages between for himself and Galekh. 

_bettercallgorgor: I just wanted to say that I’m sorry that I couldn’t make it over between Tegiri’s and your hive again, but I think I’m one step closer to figuring out what will happen to me. *__________   
_bettercallgorgor: We talked to a Mallek Adalov and he said that he could possibly help locate what my letter of ascension. *__________   
_bettercallgorgor: I‘ll come over as soon as the sun sets again. See you then. *__________


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hope this relationship dynamic is complex enough.

_coffeehousescholar: What do you mean you talked to Mallek? [1]_

Upon clicking the green superscript, another message popped up with further explanation of the question. 

_coffeehousescholar: 1. Surely talking to an ascended adult is illegal as we are still grounded on Alternia._

Tagora went back to the original message, texting back. The sun had just set and it wasn’t shortly after that he had left his friend’s hive; Tegiri made sure to scare the nightlights out of him once more before thanking him again for delivering the letter to him. After stepping foot out of the hive, he realized that Galekh’s hive could be a while aways. Unfortunately, it meant that it was a lengthy trip to his kismesis’ hive. 

_bettercallgorgor: Tegiri’s friend video called him on Chittr, and they asked if he could find my letter of ascension. He said he would contact you if there was any update. *_________

_coffeehousescholar: That is not dangerous or anything. [1] Nonetheless I am delighted to hear that Mallek is still alive and well. [2]_   
_coffeehousescholar: 1. This is sarcasm; those files are supposed to be classified, and I believe that he would not have the clearance to access them legally._   
_coffeehousescholar: 2. You had not mentioned anything that would contradict this. I assume that he is well based on the lack of worrying news._

_bettercallgorgor: Sweet Sufferer do you shut up? *_________

_coffeehousescholar: Sweet Sufferer, do you ever look left? [1]_   
_coffeehousescholar: 1. The question is rhetorical as you have looked left before. However I am indirectly suggesting you that you should look left at this time. [1]_   
_coffeehousescholar: 1. The reason is that I was at the public bookhive and on my way home I have spotted a hitch hiker [1] who is going my way._   
_coffeehousescholar: 1. The hitch hiker is you. Get in._

As soon as he read the messages he grimaced as he looked up from his phone and noticed an engine running. Looking to his left, there was a newer looking scuttlebuggy at his side. What was even more notable was the passenger window was rolled down to show the driver; a formally dressed indigoblood looking towards him with a sly smile. Sighing, Tagora puts the palmhusk away before walking to the scuttlebuggy and boarding it without another word. As soon as the safety belt was on, Tagora glanced to the driver, “Don’t you know that texting while operating a scuttlebuggy is dangerous to yourself, other operators, and pedestrians?” 

“While you are correct, I do not believe that 5 miles an hour would critically injure someone,” Galekh said as he had his eyes back on the road. “Though, you would like it if I were a serious hazard on the road; it would be a chance for you to get one last chance to be an ambulance chaser.”

“No it wouldn’t,” Tagora said as he noted that Galekh was actually operating the scuttlebuggy. The movement of the legs always made him feel sick with the cab’s bobbing, but it’s private compared to smoother shuttlebuggies. “I’m not a legislacerator here anymore.” A question came to mind. “Why were you at the bookhive? You have your own.” 

Galekh nodded, “That is true, I do have a bookhive in my hive but as you and I are very well aware I cannot stay here forever. I cannot take my books, either, so I have decided to give them to the public bookhive so they do not sit and collect dust.” Tagora frowned at the statement. Of course he was focused on getting ready but...he wish that for a day, he could not mention ascension or leaving. At least for a night. “How generous of you. As soon as we make it to your hive, what are you going to do? Pack the books away for to get shipped off?”

“No. You said you wanted to talk about our relationship so I assumed that it is what we would do once we settle in my hive.” Galekh said in a matter of fact tone. “Do you still want to do that or would you like to do something else once we get to my hive?” Tagora nodded lowly before speaking up. “We can still talk about us, yes. I feel it’s important enough to talk about.” 

Tagora didn’t face Galekh while he spoke; instead he watched as buildings became scarce from the city and into the country side. They would be at their destination shortly. Hopefully the talk would go smoother than what he feared would happen. “So how do you know Mallek?” The question came from nowhere, though he wondered if it was inappropriate to ask. Knowing Galekh, it seemed that he and Mallek wouldn’t click. “I do not quite recall how we know each other,” he finally admitted. “My memory is too hazy of the night we had met though what I do remember is being bent over the lounge plank and—“

“You and _him?!”_ Tagora asked shocked. “When was this?” The news was shocking. Galekh sighed heavily as he shook his head. “If you could get your head out of the rooftop waste lines for a moment, you can listen to the fact that I had to lean over the lounge plank in order hold still while he tattooed me.” Oh. Ohhh. Tagora deadpanned and looked away from Galekh, eyes staring holes out of the window as his face burned in embarrassment. “For shame, Tagora.”

The sudden shift in incline made Tagora look straight forwards, his eyes landing on the massive hive that was Galekh’s. It wasn’t long for the scuttlebuggy to make it up to top, Galekh shutting off the engine. As the cab descended, Tagora got out and on to the ground before shutting it. After spotting that Gal has done the same, he followed his kismesis inside, once again realizing that he wasn’t a head shorter than Galekh, but not roughy the same height. 

After entering the hive and moving through different, almost empty rooms, they finally settle in a den; it was one of the only rooms that wasn’t touched by Galekh’s packing, radiating a rather cozy vibe. Tagora chose a seat in the middle of Galekh’s lounge plank. Galekh moved a chair from across the room and placed it across the table in front of Tagora, taking a seat and sighing. The feeling in the room was heavy, neither wanting to have the conversation that was needed. 

“Where do we start?” Tagora asked as soon as he was able to. He was staring at Galekh; he was staring circles into the floor. He stayed quiet for a little bit before looking up. “I think we need coffee.” Tagora felt anger spike, getting up quick enough to beat Galekh and stopping before he rose. “I think not! We need to get somewhere before we decide to get anything else.” 

“Right,” Galekh said, “Right.” Tagora took his seat again, sitting back and crossing one leg over the other sharply and putting his hands in his laps. He stared at Galekh, feeling his kismesis’ indigo eyes staring straight into his chest. “Tagora,” Galekh finally said, his voice faltering all the while. “What do you want to do? With our relationship?” 

“What kind of question is that?” Tagora asked him, sitting forwards. “Are you wanting to break up?” 

“No, I—“ Galekh stopped what he was saying, sitting back in the chair. His eyes was wide, staring away from Tagora. Something was making him more nervous than what was already on his mind. 

It didn’t take long for Tagora to realize that Galekh was hiding something. Perhaps he could figure it out— despite being out of work on Alternia, he _was_ a legislacerator. His sudden irritation at the idea of breaking up was definitely something; at least he still wanted to be together. “So you still want to be with me?” 

“Yes Tagora, I still want to be with you,” Galekh answered, his eyes flashing towards him for a second. His mouth twitched as if it were to say something else before resting it on his mouth, a clawed hand covering his mouth entirely. He’s getting closer, realizing it’s about their relationship. “Good. I like being your ill graces.” Tagora watched as Galekh shifted in his seat again, crossing one leg over another. 

Something heavy dropped in his abdomen as Tagora felt his pan jump to conclusions. His inquisitive look dropped as he felt slight horror creep on his face. His shifted in his own seat as he gulped. “Galekh. Look at me,” Tagora commanded. “Look at me now. Right now.” 

Galekh’s eyes slowly shifted back to Tagora, putting his arm properly on the arms rest. He couldn’t breathe as he tried to collect himself. There was high tension in the room, both men sweating about what will happen next. 

Tagora gulped. “Galekh,” his voice wavered, afraid of what the answer might be. “Galekh Xigisi...do you still hate me?” Galekh stared at Tagora silently. Each second without an answer made Tagora tremble. Finally, Galekh exhaled heavily. 

“No, I don’t.” His eyes were watery. “I can’t.”


	6. Chapter 6

That was not the expected answer to his question. Tagora was _gobsmacked_ at the revelation. It was one of only times that the tealblood was rendered speechless in his life. All he could really do was stare at Galekh. That was before his face scrunched with disgust. “You can’t just tell me you’re flushed for me, you _bastard—“_

“I misspoke,” Galekh spoke as he blinked away the blue-tinted tears. “Sorry. I did not realize that the sudden, unwarranted, answer with the lack of context behind it could have been jarring to you to the point of accusing me of having red concupiscent feelings towards you. Perhaps it will be easier for me to explain myself first before simplifying my answer to something so broad. Do you mind if I do so to clear up any confusion that you have?” No words came out of his mouth. The teal just nods slowly, one eyebrow cocked in confusion. A second passes before Galekh brushes a grayish-blue tongue past his lips before looking to Tagora. “Before an explanation of my feelings, would you like a drink first? I know that you were very adamant that I was not to make coffee earlier but I would like to offer a drink again after some talking was accomplished,” Galekh’s voice lowered significantly, “Though it does not have to be coffee if you do not want it.” 

“I think we can talk while it’s being made,” Tagora said after another minute of collecting his thoughts. He stood to his feet just as quickly as Galekh bad, following him through a couple of empty rooms to his food preparation block. Galekh made a quick walk to the coffee maker to busy himself with the task, and Tagora took the liberty of sitting on an island just across the way. Crossing his ankles and having his hands planted into the counter in the edge, he watched the indigoblood’s actions. 

“I wish that you would sit in one of the stools next to the island counter in the prepblock, Gor,” Galekh said with his back turned away from him. “That is the purpose of them after all.” Tagora rolled his eyes, gently kicking his legs to sway. “I wish you weren’t always so formal. For Signless’ sake, you’re in your own hive. Who is going to see you?”

As Galekh began pouring water in the machine, he turned his head to glare at Tagora. “You would see me if you are implying that my clothes are too formal for this sort of thing.” His voice gets softer, “Do you wish for me to take my clothes off now?” Even softer, “Is your desire for me to get into something more comfortable connected to some sort of concupiscent feeling you have at the moment?” A whisper, “Because if you are, as the wrigglers say, ‘down to fuck’ I am not against the idea of intimacy but I must warn you my emotions are not exactly related with ideas of sexual intercourse—“ 

“Galekh, what the fuck? No I meant you can probably peel off your jacket and tie and then relax,” Tagora was taken aback again. “We may be pitch but I’m not about cull you for catching you without a suit on.” Galekh finished pouring the water into the cup and placed the pot into the machine before turning it on. Immediately afterwards, Galekh turned to face Tagora and began loosening his tie. “Talk to me. What was your explanation?” His voice was quiet, the silence growing between them with the noises of a coffeemaker in the background. 

One minute passes. Then two. Then five. Finally he sighed, his eyes drifting to the floor beneath Tagora. “From the moment that we met to either the second or third date with you, I was confident that I hated you, which is why I asked you to be my kismesis on the date after that. However,” he gestured with his hands as he walked to a close by cabinet and pulling out a couple of mugs. “However whenever we spent time together I slowly began to have the realization that my feelings toward you were more complicated.” He set the mugs aside as he leaned back into the counter next to the coffeemaker as it did its job. 

“The best way I can explain my feelings toward you is a varied mix of pity and hate altogether, swaying between both sides like a never ending pendulum.” Tagora blinked before the realization dawned on him. His narrowed brow softened and he stopped swaying his legs. The tealblood didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t empathize with his kismesis but something _must be said._

“I’m unsure how to react to that,” Tagora said after Galekh’s confession. “I haven’t been in a position in which someone is vacillating, especially for me.” Tagora pauses as he studies the indigoblood. They were staring at each other now, concentrating on each other’s body language. ”I think that for starters I have to say that I don’t really feel the same for you.” Tagora widened his eyes as he realized what ways that can be taken. “Galekh, I hate you. The most I can relate to vacillating for you is feeling bad whenever you’re frustrated with work but that’s before realizing you procrastinated on said work.”

“To spend time with you,” Galekh retorted as he pulled the pitcher out of the machine after it finished making coffee, starting to pour some into the mugs. After replacing the maker’s pitcher, Galekh handed off a cup to Tagora. “Despite my frustrations at the work I had to perform in a shorter amount of time than allotted, I never regretted spending any extra time with you.” Tagora flashed him a small smile as he accepted the cup. “I do not think you understand my purposes in telling you about the complex feelings I have harbored for you,” Galekh began, holding his mug with both hands and looking into the black drink. “I felt that you deserved to know of how I felt towards you before we,” he paused. “You know.” 

Tagora nodded as he took a sip of the mug, staring at Galekh. “Thank you,” he spoke after a while. “For telling me, I mean.” The room goes quiet, neither of them thinking of what to say next. 

Finally Galekh spoke up, “I believe that if you do not have any sort of emotional confession to make, we could perhaps move on.” Tagora shook his head without another word. Galekh nodded as he mentally acknowledged what else they had to talk about for their relationship. “Now that the confession is discussed and out of the way, I think the next minute on the list is, well, the status of our relationship.” He took a drink nervously before setting his mug aside. “I do not want to make a decision for the both of us, so I want to hear what you think about our relationship.” 

Tagora rolled his eyes put his own cup down. “At the end of the day, I still make you feel pitch for me, even if you have flushed undertones as well.” Galekh raised his and and shook the open palm side to side to stop his speech. “No, no. I’m sorry for the confusion. What I was asking if it is the best course of action to continue our kismesissitude.”

Oh. _Oh._

“Emotionally, your possible matesprit would have to pry you from my cold dead hands if they ever wanted attention from you,” Tagora said. He felt tears prick at his eyes. “In reality...I can’t see a way to make sure that we can stay together; my position as a legislacerator will keep me working around the clock,” he sighed, feeling tears down his face. Galekh stood away from the counter and walked to his kismesis, wiping a tear away with his thumb. Tagora let out a shuddered breath, leaning into his touch. 

“No,” Tagora leaned away from his hand after seconds and wiped the tears away from his own face. “Sufferer be damned, we have time left. At most it’s just over a wipe but it’s still time, and I don’t want to end this when you’re not leaving tomorrow evening.” The tealblood sighed as he looked away from the indigoblood, not allowing to let him see new streams on his face. Galekh gently turned Tagora’s head back to face him. 

“What do you suggest if you want to remain in a quadrant until we are separated?” He whispered. “The high chance is my departure but we are still unsure about your situation.” 

“It’ll have to end when that happens, but,” he sniffles as he wiped away more lines. “But for now it’s just us. It’s only us.” Tagora looked in Galekh’s eyes and sighed somberly. “I’m pitch for you.” 

“And I you,” Galekh furrowed his brows as he kept eye contact, “even though you’re a bastard who managed to be pitiful in my eyes.” A small, devious grin makes its appearance on his lips. What was he planning?

“Greedy enough to earn pitch and flushed feelings of yours,” Tagora pressed a devilish shit-eating grin on his face, placing his arms on either side of Galekh’s head, intertwining his fingers behind his quadrantmate. He leaned in towards Galekh before stealing a kiss or two before receiving reciprocation. It wasn’t the same, but it was a sense of normalcy again.


	7. Chapter 7

Everything seemed to suddenly improve after their talk; it was almost like both had forgotten about their separation and Galekh’s ascent, and to top it off Tagora had noticed that Galekh had become more relaxed in his presence. Of course the atmosphere was a little off, but nothing too uncomfortably foreign for the tealblood; chaste kisses here and there and even purring at one point during a movie shortly after his admissions. Things were...almost perfect. 

Until he was awoken in the middle of the day to an empty recuperacoon. The slime was much warmer than it would have been; he hadn’t been in bed in a while. Tagora huffed as he began to open his eyes, looking around the room. The room was dark enough to move around but light enough to see the room was empty, save for the furniture and a few clothes strewn on the floor from previous nights. 

Tagora hummed sleepily as he began to extend a slime covered hand towards a nearby towel, wiping the excess slime off of his arm to grab his palmhusk. 

_bettercallgorgor: Where are you? *_______

The message gets quickly read but there’s no response. Tagora groaned as he starts to pull himself from the comfort of the green slime. After exiting, he proceeded to wipe the majority of the slime that clung to his skin. He looked around for anything to put on to go out into the rest of the hive, ending to a pile of blue fabric heaped off to the side. Tagora grabs for it and began to put it on, quickly buttoning into the shirt. His thin frame swam in the dress shirt, even cascading off of one of his shoulders. This would do— who is going to see him, his kismesis?

As the tealblood reaches the door and left the room, he looked around for any signs of Galekh. The lights were off, the corridor that Tagora stood in was dark, and it would’ve been troubling had the hive been like it was wipes ago; thankfully there weren’t any hazards such as half open books or any sort of forgotten clothing that could become a cause for Tagora tripping in a darken corridor in search for his kismesis. 

Quadrantmate. 

Whatever he was to Galekh. 

Passing through the hallway slowly, Tagora looked from door to door to look for any signs of the blueblood; any sort of cracked doors, or lights on, or even noise. If his lusus were here, he wouldn’t have much trouble in finding Galekh. A heavy feeling fell on him as he thought of his own; sweet Sufferer, he missed ferretdad. Tagora blinked away any sort of watery feeling away as he looked around for Galekh. His hand touched the hallway’s wall as he moved to make sure he didn’t walk into the wall in front of him. Feeling the corner, Tagora took a turn and—

There was a cracked door at the end of the hall, and unnatural yellow light seeping from the door. It used to be his personal bookhive, but now it was just an empty room. Or, should have been— Galekh dropped his books off to the hive nights ago. Creeping closer, a voice became legible. It was soft, almost at a whisper as if he weren’t trying to wake Tagora. Just from knowing Galekh for sweeps, he could tell it was him.

The indigoblood spoke like it was a casual conversation; instead of another voice he was answered with silence. He was speaking to someone over the husk. Pressing his ear into the door he tried to listen further. 

_“I make my ascent almost two nights after the ships land on Alternia.”_

Silence. 

_“Tagora is currently trying to locate his own letter to make sure he does not get into trouble with the empire and whoever he will end up reporting to... though what I say by currently, I do not mean at this moment as he is asleep.”_

Tagora’s eyes rolled at Galekh’s quirk of over explaining every little detail. Not one thing will be assumed with a conversation with him. Nothing. He Tagora felt himself zoning out, forcing himself to pay attention to Galekh. 

_“....No, I have not told him yet,” Tagora almost pressed himself into the room, having to restrain to not enter the room. “I did not receive a definite affirmation from you about the matter, and I do not want to disrespect your wishes.”_

A overwhelming feeling of curiosity filled Tagora— who was Galekh talking to at this hour, and what hadn’t Galekh told him yet? 

_“There are things that can be done for things like this by the Alternian empire— you are a criminal in the eyes of the law. I think you are someone that should know this, Tyzias.”_

His stomach dropped. 

_“I know that your and Tagora’s relationship is...complicated, and while I do not think that he is low enough to sell you out if he knew, another troll knowing that you are alive and well endangers your life as well as Stelsa’s. I am sorry to say that I will not be informing him.”_

He was in disbelief. Realizing that this is something that he should not have heard, he felt almost guilty for guilty for getting out of the recuperacoon. Shock, irritation, and even a hint of joy filled the legislacerator as he realized that his class friend, co-worker and associate wasn’t brutally murdered on the planet. A wide smile grew on his face as he listened in. 

_“It is something that you are unable to tell now that we are separated by a couple of solar systems, but it is midday on Alternia.”_

The smile dropped as he quickly realized the conversation was ending. Quickly and quietly, Tagora turned around and retraces his steps back to Galekh’s respiteblock. He peeled off the oversized blue, dress shirt before climbing back into the slime. It was far too warm for his tastes, but it wasn’t his recuperacoon; Galekh must freeze at day if it’s this warm. As he settled into his former spot in the green, he closed his eyes and tried to focus on relaxing things in order to slow the beating in his chest. 

Not even a full minute later, the door opened again before shutting quietly. “Have you already fell back asleep?” His whispered question almost made his eyes snap open when he remembered texting Galekh as soon as he woke up. Almost. “No,” Tagora moaned in a low; quiet tone. “I got up for some water because I’m pretty sure that woke me up. Where’d you go?” 

“Ah, I went back to me study in order to check if I have all my affairs in order,” an eye creeped open as he spotted Galekh peel off whatever clothing he had on. “I’m pretty sure that they are.” 

It was at this moment that Tagora realized his quadrantmate uses contractions when he lies. A damning tell. He shifted to allow the indigoblood more ease to get into his own recuperacoon, a relaxed chirp emitting from his throat as he sunk into the warm slime. Tagora readjusts himself to lay on Galekh, receiving a quick warning about his horns before getting comfortable. “Why is your slime so warm? Do you have a heater in it or something?” 

“I do,” he answered with clear voice rather than a sleepy one. “After my accident that had taken place approximately a half sweep ago, I realize that a way to help the pain in my back is applied heat. A way that I have incorporated such a method is adding a heater specifically designed for my recuperacoon. It works wonders for me and it is definitely something I’m taking with me when I ascend, though it is the last thing I am packing.” Tagora made a small _oh_ noise and hummed as he thought about it. 

Sweet Sufferer he couldn’t sleep. The excitement that he felt knowing that she was alive. “Gal, what are we gonna do tomorrow?” 

“I,” he paused for a second. “I was going to say goodbye to a friend that has moved to the city. I couldn’t imagine leaving without telling her one last goodbye. Do not worry though, I should not be too long with my trip to the city and back with enough time for any sort of plans tomorrow.” Tagora felt his ears wiggle ever so slightly. He wanted the troll to himself. “I can hold the hive down while you’re gone.” He didn’t have to open his eyes to know that Galekh was glaring at him— Tagora practically lived there. “I would hope so.” 

Tagora flashed a snarky little smirk in the dark. He settled in the recuperacoon again and focused on falling asleep. He didn’t expect the quick kiss pressed to his temple and a light hearted rumble in the indigoblood’s throat. 

As black as he felt for Galekh, it was nice getting a different type of attention for once. Before Tagora could realize he drifted back off to sleep, thinking of the morning.


	8. Chapter 8

Thrashthrust was nearly an hour drive from the hive. While the wait would have been irritable, Tagora himself had other plans in mind. After waking up early in the evening, the couple sat down for breakfast before Galekh had to get ready to leave. With a quick kiss he was out the door and left Tagora to his own devices in the hive. Now, he was trying to to concentrate on what he could remember from what he overheard from the previous morning. Unfortunately out of the force of habit he had to tell someone about it. 

_“You managed to reach me at this number but I’m unfortunately busy. Leave a message.”_

_Oh._ He didn’t realize his go to was her. Hanging up the husk, he dialed another number. It rang for a minute, then to before someone picked up. “Tegiri, buddy, hey,” Tagora breathed. “I have a question: remember when you tried to be an auditerrorizor and after like a sweep you realized that there’s no way that you could do it so Tyzias and I had to scramble to help you get on par with us in legislaceration 101? You didn’t happen to get any sort of contacts from that segment of your life did you?” 

_“I cant answer that for him but I can probably check it out for you, Gorjek.”_

He wasn’t expecting the olive blood to pick up her teal friend’s phone. Taken aback he tried to revise his questions. “Polypa, good evening. You said that there’s a way to find that information out— could you get that for me? Thank you.” 

_“He has a ever so changing Goregle document about it, though it’s in alphabetical order. Who are you getting in contact with?”_ She had a curious tone of voice. Tagora knew that with a friend so well versed in Alternian law she must have a good idea about it. “A friend. I want to catch up with her before I ascend. Her name is Stelsa Sezyat.” 

_“Stelsa... Tegiri has her written out that she’s ascended half a sweep ago. I never knew that you weren’t always a law abiding citizen, Tags.”_

“I never said that I was always one, and I don’t need a lecture from you about getting someone’s contact information; just don’t tell Tegiri I got it from you.” 

_“I wasn’t giving you a lecture. Tegiri doesn’t have any Chittr information on hand but I can text you her number.”_

“Thank you,” Tagora breathed. Listening to shuffling on her end of the line before the palmhusk buzzed in his hand. 

_“No problem.”_

The call disconnected. He took the phone away from his ear and looked to the message in a series of teal numbers along with a message from the woman. 

_she’s offplanet * so my best advice is to add a +413 to the front so it’ll redirect *|_

Of course. The tealblood quickly went to thy keypad on his palmhusk before typing in the number with he suggested sequence in front of it. He hesitated to hit call. At the last minute he clicked off the app. Maybe this sort of situation couldn’t be traced by the empire if he texted it anyways. Stelsa was always... intimidating to him. He went to his messaging app and typed away, hitting send before anything else.

_TAGORA: Evening Stelsa. *_______

Before he could click off, the message was read and reacted with a smiling emoji before black text popped up from her. He should name her in his phone, quickly doing so before anything else. 

_STELSA: HELLO YES I AM AFRAID I LOST THIS CONTACT SOMEHOW COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHO THIS IS_

Tagora could’ve swore she was more articulate when Tyzias introduced them. He began typing back.

 _TAGORA: My bad. This is Tagora Gorjek. Tyzias introduced us at our office’s New Sweep party a sweep or so ago._  
 _STELSA: OH HELLO TAGORA ITS LOVELY TO SPEAK TO YOU AGAIN I AM CONFUSED THOUGH ON HOW YOU GOT THIS EXTENSION IVE ONLY GIVEN IT TO TROLLS I AM CLOSE WITH AND ALTHOUGH I KNOW WE WOULD BE FRIENDS I DONT THINK I EVER GAVE IT TO DEAR._   
_TAGORA: I asked Tegiri for it. While I wish I received it under better circumstances, I found out some sensitive information and I wanted to confirm it with you._  
 _STELSA: OH I MISS GIRI PLEASE TELL HIM THAT I MISS HIM DEARLY EVEN THOUGH I KNOW THAT HES NOT GOING TO BE AN AUDITERRORIZOR BUT PLEASE ALSO TELL HIM THAT HE HAS TO BE SAFE AND SECURE BECAUSE HE TOLD ME HE WAS GOING TO BE WORKING WITH DRONES AND I KNOW HOW SCARY THEY CAN LOOK_  
 _STELSA: IM SORRY IM JUST WORRIED ABOUT HIM BUT PLEASE DO TELL ME ABOUT YOUR INFORMATION ALTHOUGH I WOULD IMAGINE YOU WOULD HAVE CALLED ME IF THE INFORMATION WAS SENSITIVE_  
 _TAGORA: Is your matesprit still alive?_

He couldn’t bring himself to type her name. He knew she was alive and Stelsa knew it too but he couldn’t in case the empire happens to tap into his husk today. He watched as bubbles indicating her typing popped up before disappearing. Then returning, then disappearing. Again and again before a message was sent. 

_STELSA: IM SORRY TO SAY THAT I HAVENT HAD A MATESPRIT SINCE ZIZI DEAR WHAT MAKES YOU ASK_   
_TAGORA: Nothing, nothing. I thought I heard that you had another one and they... perished._   
_STELSA: OH NO DEAR NOT THE CASE AT ALL IVE BEEN AUDITERRORIZING ALMOST NONSTOP SINCE ARRIVING ON THIS PLANET YOU KNOW THAT IN SOME AREAS OF THE EMPIRE ITS SUGGESTED TO NOT PURSUE ANY QUADRANTS_   
_TAGORA: Are you in such an area?_   
_STELSA: I AM USUALLY ON THE MOVE SO IF I DID I COULDNT HAVE A PARTNER FOR LONG_   
_TAGORA: I’m... sorry to hear about that._   
_STELSA: OH DEAR ITS OKAY YOU DONT HAVE TO APOLOGIZE YOU ARE NOT THE EMPRESS SO YOU DO NOT MAKE THE RULES ALTHOUGH THIS CHAT HAS BEEN VERY LOVELY I MUST BE ON MY WAY AS I AM VERY BUSY WITH WORK AND I MUST KEEP UP I WOULD LOVE TO SAY GOOD BYE REMEMBER TO TELL GIRI WHAT I SAID AND TAGORA PLEASE FEEL FREE TO KEEP MY NUMBER NOW THAT YOU HAVE IT I WISH WE COULDVE KNOWN EACH OTHER ON ALTERNIA BUT I AM HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU AGAIN CIAO DEAR_

There wasn’t any feelings of satisfaction from the conversation as he clicked off and put his phone down. He looked away and frowned. While he understood that they wanted to keep Tyzias safe, he wished he could have spoken to her _once._

He tuned in to the background noise that the television left on provided; a majority of a group of trolls that wreaked havoc in Thrashthrust have been apprehended, another album by rapper Marvus Xoloto had been released to Alternia, a few messages from the heiress before her departure and battle against the empress...

Tagora almost lulled back asleep on the platform had it not been for his palmhusk to vibrate. Perking up and reaching to it, he looked to the screen and viewed it. A missed call from an unknown number. He wouldn’t have paid mind to it— he got random calls often. Only this one accompanied a text from the same number after it. 

_??????: go to the study then pick up the call_

Tagora raised an eyebrow before getting up to do so. Walking back further into the hive with ease that the hallways were lit and into the empty room, he leaned against the desk and waited. Staring at the palmhusk until the call notification came up. He picks it up and stares out of the window and at the countryside that stood below outside of Galekh’s hive. “Hello?” 

Only silence answered him on the other side of the line. It didn’t sound like that anyone was on the other end. The feeling was almost dreadful as he looked at the specific trees below him. 

A feeling of déjà vu came over him. He quickly realized what was going on here. Taking a gulp he waited for the other end. 

“Perish,” they said in unison.


	9. Chapter 9

_“So it is you,”_ the other voice said on the other end. She sounded dead on to what Tagora could remember for her, although she seemed alert. _“I almost didn’t recognize you because your voice got deeper. I thought Galekh wasn’t going to tell you about me. What changed his mind?”_

The teal dismissed the voice comment as he found his words. “Nothing; he wasn’t in bed and I overheard his side of the conversation on accident,” Tagora explained as he checked out his nails. “I thought you were dead. So did Tirona and Tegiri. What are you doing?” 

_“I think I’m glad that lie held up, though don’t speak for Kalbur; he and Stelsa were talking and heard me ask her a question. Very pissed but we moved past that.”_ Tagora sputtered before he got silenced by her again. _“Speaking of her, what the hell were you thinking? She texted me spooked that you randomly talked to her about me.“_

“I didn’t know how to get to you without going through Galekh’s phone, so tell her I’m sorry for freaking her out. I’m still freaking out that your lusus didn’t eat you.” A sudden giggle erupted from her lips. _“Not the case. Do you want to ask questions?”_

_“No shit,”_ he hissed through his teeth. “Where are you?” She hummed through the phone. _“A couple of solar systems away, though I’m always moving from planet to planet with Stelsa due to her position as an auditerrorizor.”_ Tagora didn’t think about his next question, “What are you doing then?” 

_“I’m pretty much a hivemate,”_ she answered. _“I can’t get a job outside yet until I can assume an identity. I’m currently trying to get one though and the certification for a traveling legislacerator so I can work with Stelsa soon.”_ Tagora raised an eyebrow, “So like kill someone and take everything?” A quick denial from her. He rolled his eyes and looked towards the moons. “Why did you do it?” She sighed heavily. _“I was boned, going to die anyways. This way I’m happy.”_

“Okay,” Tagora felt an idea smack him in the face. “ _How_ did you do it?” 

_“What are you, a cop?”_ Silence. _“Don’t answer that. Why do you ask?”_ Before Tagora could speak she laughed again, only this time it was somber. _“I think I understand, actually. Why do you want to abandon your position?”_ He didn’t want to answer her. Instead he shook his head and responded, “I don’t want to answer that.” In truth, he didn’t want to be alone. Even though he hated Galekh, he didn’t want to wake up every evening without him. He didn’t want to go for sweeps on end and not see his smug grin and miss a witty remark from him. He didn’t want to miss the attention that he got from the indigo— red or black. He’d miss the way he clicked or the way his hair rested against his brow. He’d— 

_“Alternia to Tagora, do you read me Tagora?”_ He snapped out of thought to listen in. _“It’s too late ”_ she said. _“I faked my own death before assigned to a position and snuck off with Stelsa. Even if you can do it, I was small enough to stow away. You’re a whole ass adult.”_ Tagora realized she told him indirectly. _“I’m seriously concerned for your decision making right now. I’m not telling you what to do right now, but whatever it is don’t be stupid and don’t leave Galekh in the dark. Talk it out.”_ With that she hung up. He sighed and went to hang up. However something kept him on the call. 

_“Tagora.”_ Oh boy. _“I, ah, am curious about one thing...should this be another talk—“_

“Yes. How much longer until you’re home so we can discuss about this?” 

_“If I were to guess, which I am, I would presume maybe an hour more or so.”_ Tagora sighed hard. “Should we do this now then?” Silence over the phone before he answered, _“I cannot being myself to think it’s a good idea. While having you with me is... while I want to continue this relationship I do not think it is the safest thing to do, especially now knowing that we are so close to ascend.”_ Tagora felt his heart break, realizing that Galekh’s voice was wavering when he spoke. 

_“I am deeply sorry—”_ Tagora couldn’t take the conversation any further, hanging up as he sunk to the floor and feeling the pain that he felt when he learned of Galekh’s ascent. He looked to the moons outside as he realized that it was it. Their relationship was doomed. 

He awoke with tears dried on his face and his body being hoisted upwards. He didn’t have to look over and see who was picking him up, smelling the heavy oak and black coffee on him. “Are you flexing on me that you can still pick me up?” Tagora asked tiredly, eyes still focused on the window. The moons were high in the sky. It’s been more than an hour or so. “Because after today that is a what the cool kids call a dick move, Gal.” Silence; he must be ticked about handing up. “I could’ve warned you about hanging up before I did; it’s not that I don’t respect you but rather that I’m not crying in front of you. That would get weird because last time I did you started crying and it weird to see because you don’t get whatsoever and it hurt to see you like that.” Tagora spoke in a low tone. Force of habit made him continue his monologue. “Indigobloods are thought to be strong, especially ones that were your size as a kid. You go through another molt in upwards of ten sweeps and end up being fucking massive whereas I go through one in ten sweeps just because. Anyways, there’s that huge stereotype where your caste is strong and therefore not able to feel emotions and anyways when I saw you cry like that it was jarring because that was a definite change. I think that’s my problem— I don’t like change. I didn’t mind it when we were kids; some like Tyzias and Tegiri and you coming into my life were welcome but I didn’t want shit to change. Tyzias didn’t need to fake die and Ferretdad didn’t need to leave and Tegiri didn’t need to get so built that I question my relationship with him to the point of almost asking him out even though I know he’s probably not interested in romantic feelings of any form and I sure as hell don’t need to see you cry because I don’t want you to feel like shit, you know?” Tagora paused for a minute before looking over, finding Galekh’s eyes to be equally bloodshot from crying. His blue irises were calming in the teal’s opinion. “I know you don’t like change because of that one time where I rearranged your jerkoff bookhive alphabetically.” 

His eyes closed as he took a deep inhale as he tried to force an oncoming smile off. Tagora managed to get out of his arms, getting onto his feet and looking at his... whatever Galekh was to him. “Shouldn’t they make the most sense? Alphabetical organization of your books?” Of course Tagora knew what the Dewey decimal system was but he wanted things to be better again. “Like if it was you would always know where your copy of _Various Hues of Blue_ because it’s right at the end of the bookshelf.” The indigo forced away a smile as he started to walk out of the study, watching to not hit Tagora’s legs or horns. “I know you love my voice but can you say something? Your silence is putting me on edge.”

“I am not sure what to talk about,” he said quietly as they headed back towards the living block. “While I have something to talk about when the sun rises, I do not want to upset you any further, Gor.”

“Just tell me. It can’t be any worse.”

“Mallek forgot your username but remembered your name and the fact that you and I were acquainted, and he contacted me with what details that he found that pertain to your ascension.” A pause as they entered back into the main living block. Tagora peeled himself out of Galekh’s arms and watched his horns before he leaned on him. “What’s the bad news?” 

“You and I obviously ascend the same wipe, but unfortunately I have discovered that we do not travel the same night; as pertained by the empire, you ascend 2 nights before I do.” Tagora sighs. “However we still do not know which ship you are boarding, though I have found that if you arrive early enough you may be able to ask around and see which roster your name is on.” 

“At least I have a date,” Tagora said with a slightly somber tone. “How early would you say would be early enough to check?” He leaned off of Galekh, making eye contact and keeping his hands on his chest for support. 

“Midday, and I do answer keeping in mind that you might end up asking every ship before asking the correct ship alone. Due to the fact that I must be at the ship’s hub 2 nights after you, I was planning to pack up and see if I am able to come and assist with you finding your ship on time.” 

Tagora raised an eyebrow in confusion. “You’re trying to board prematurely? Is that even possible?” Galekh tapped to his dress shirt, and Tagora nods with an understanding look in his face. “What a privilege it must be to be a true highblood. Can midbloods board early?” The blueblood shook his head. The tealblood pursed his lips and looked down. 

Quick moment of silence before Tagora let his hands drop from his chest to his hand, gently grasping it and leading him to his loungeplank. Galekh made a quick, sharp smirk as he followed Tagora over. After sitting down in the corner that the L-shaped furniture made, Tagora proceeds to sit in the adjacent seat before leaning over him and draping himself over his lap. “I knew it.” 

“I have limited days to do this, just let this happen.” He stared at the television before remembering something. “Gal, you said you were curious about something over the phone.” He shifted is gaze from the screen to his boyfriend. The look in his eye told Tagora that he forgot that he was curious about earlier. “What was it?” 

“I don’t recall,” he admitted. “I think it was something that had to do with an insignificant detail. It could’ve been anything; favorite color, wrigglerhood dream job had it not been for the caste system,” he looks to Tagora as he rambles a list on. “Exact horn length, ring size, favorite type of coffee, ultimate cull-pail-pale choices that you don’t share a quadrant with. It could’ve been anything.”

“Do I want to know why you want to know my exact horn length?” He flashed a devious smirk towards the troll with the bluer hue. Galekh felt his face flush and looked away, “I was listing little things that I do not know about you. As I said before, it could’ve been anything.” 

Tagora rolled his eyes as he carefully sat upwards and off of his lap. “Well then. Why don’t we change something about your list?” He watched his boyfriend raise an eyebrow in question. “I’m asking you out for coffee. Not from your hive but at that one place in Outglut.” 

“Do you mean—“ 

“Yes, that one specifically.” Tagora watched the gleeful look spread on his face. That was until he realized something, the look quickly fading into vaguely dumbfounded. “Wait a second, you have never stepped into that coffeehive with the intention to pay for your own drink... I conclude that I will be the one paying for this trip.”

“I’m feeling generous,” Tagora smiled sweetly and kept eye contact. “I’ll pay for my own drink.” A small laugh at the joke. “And I believe that I can also cover yours rather than reimburse you for my latest blunder with foul language.” He stood up and looked downwards to his outfit. Somehow, he was still decent looking to go out into public despite sleeping on the floor of his boyfriend’s personal bookhive. “I do have to call the office to notify Tirona that we’re going to be in town so the drones aren’t called on us,” he said as he made his way to a brush in order to straighten out his hair.

“Is that the official protocol to go out after molting?” He raised an eyebrow as he looked into a mirror to inspect his own attire; black suit, indigo undershirt, navy tie, and his sign as indigo cuff links. “Should I change?” 

“In a technicality it isn’t,” Tagora explained as he finished getting through his hair. “We would be asked to leave the public after getting what we wanted, and so long so as we are moving we abide their rules.“ Tagora walks towards the mirror and inspects his hair before turning to Galekh. “I’m not going out all dressed up myself, Gal; maybe you’re able to dress down just a little.” Galekh looked back to the mirror before pursing his lips. “On second thought I believe I need to get even more dressed up. I do not know if it is possible of me to do so,” he looked back in the mirror. “I could get my hair in order and wear dress shoes but what else could I do to myself that makes a troll think _wow this is a formal indigo.”_

“Nothing. Nothing at all!” Tagora said as he put up the upper half of his hair into a ponytail. “You’re the worst!” Tagora goes to start moving Galekh away to no avail. “We’re going to be late if we don’t go soon.” 

Galekh looks to the teal blood pushing him before shrugging and going along with it. Tagora fumbles before falling into him, not expecting to get anywhere. “Shall we?” Tagora got off from leaning onto his boyfriend before standing straight upwards, smoothing out his clothes before nodding. “Let’s go.” Taking Galekh’s hand into his own, they were on their way.


	10. Chapter 10

Every night they spent together joined at the hand; woke up, made breakfast, went out to spend the night together, headed home, back to sleep. Several kisses, elbow jabs, and flirts both pitch and red were thrown at one another throughout the day. Tagora chalked the dates up to be a distraction from the most dreadful one of them all. 

However, he needed to be alone this evening. Just for a few hours. He stared at the breakfast and making idle chatter with Galekh as he tried to figure out a way to ask for a little time alone without insinuating anything out of the ordinary. Finally, something hit him. He waited for a quiet moment before looking upwards towards Galekh. “I don’t exactly know how to phrase this, but I really feel like I’ve...” Tagora looked down to try to quickly reword his thoughts. “That my existence can be rather... smothering recently.” He watched as Galekh’s ears perked up, his face contorting to be a little confused. “I beg pardon? I do not think I fully understand what you mean.” 

“We’ve been joined at the hip like hatch mates and I’m not quite sure if I’m a nuisance to the point where you might need a little alone time,” Tagora answered nervously. He would’ve been sweating had he not been in more nerve-wracking situations. The confused look melts down and his brows furrow with half his lips being pursed. “I think I understand now,” he said as he crossed one leg over the other. “I hope that you know that you could have just asked me to back off for a little while instead of beating around the bush... though I am curious on where you are going; is it overstepping the boundaries if I ask where you’re heading?”

“I’ve mistakenly taken Tirona’s mug and I need to return it to her,” Tagora said as he pointed at the mug she had gifted him over a wipe ago. “She had messaged me earlier and called me a prick for accidentally taking it out the door.” Lying wasn’t hard for him; he was a legislacerator after all. “I suppose I’d also head back to Tegiri’s hive and wish him a final farewell. I would imagine this this shouldn’t take too long.” 

“You have known Tirona and Tegiri for a considerable amount of your time here,” his face softened. “By all means, take your time in your good-byes. The odds of seeing them again off of Alternian are astronomical.” He looked around the kitchen, thinking quickly. “Besides, I’ve got things to attend to around the hive... it is highly likely that as soon as I move, another troll’s lusus will claim this place as their own and raise their wriggler here.” 

“I think someone’s already claimed mine,” Tagora offhandedly commented as he finished his breakfast and picked his plate up. Noticing Galekh’s plate was in a similar fashion, he picked his up too to take it out to the sink. “I did see Ferretdad before you picked me up the other day,” he began. “He was already assigned another troll.” 

“Really?” Galekh asked in surprise, turning to Tagora as he spoke. ”Where?” Tagora shrugged as he set the plates in the sink and turns around, moving his hand to try to help him speak. “I was walking one way and he happened to e going the other way. I could only tell it was him because of the noise he made when he saw me before running up towards me just for a head scratch.” He looked downwards before frowning. “He had to go but it was nice to see him again.” He shook his head gently after a minute of reminiscing his lusus before looking up. “Sorry for getting off track. I think I can be back within a few hours if I go now.” He grabbed the clean cup before turning around to plant a kiss on the indigo’s lips. “I’ll be back soon.” 

He smiled in the kiss, “I will be waiting for you.” Tagora pulled away from him before waving off again, walking out the door. 

Walking away from the hive’s door and down the hill, Tagora gulped as shook the allegedly empty mug. A small, metallic rattling made him sigh in relief before opening it and pulling out a sterling silver band that was much larger than his own ring size. “I hope he’s not going to miss this in the meanwhile.” Dropping it back into the mug for safekeeping he was on his way into town. 

The walk from outside of Outglut to the city used to be killer. Now that he was an adult it seemed like a breeze. Walking up to the building he saw a familiar face out front. “Doesn’t Galekh find it weird that you’re out and about at this hour?” He sighs as he neared her in the front. “Tirona, must it always be you to accompany me when I’m out in public?” She nodded as she opened the door to the jewelry store. The inside was scarce of anyone else except the troll behind the counter. They didn’t look afraid but they stood quiet. “I told everyone that you were coming and they scattered,” she joked as they entered, Tagora having to duck under the frame to be inside. “Not you specifically, I just came in and yelled that an adult was here. The look on everyone’s faces was priceless. I should’ve had someone with me to get a picture so I could use it to show that people are still very fearful of adults.” 

“Oh please,” he rolled his eyes to the back of his skull. “Let’s not get too political.” They walked to the counter with the troll standing behind it. Tagora looked down to them as he pulled the silver band from the teal mug and handing it downwards. “I’m looking for a ring in this size.”

“Sizing is available for anything in the shop,” they said with a calm voice and nervous smile. “What type of ring are you looking for today, sir?” Tagora already had an idea of what he wanted, but he couldn’t think about putting it into words. “Do you have anything else that could be for kismesissitude?” The troll pursed their lips before looking back upwards. “I think I can manage to find something...let me look in the back first.” Without another word they turned around and left Tagora with his former co-worker. 

“Did you ever find your L.O.A.?” Tirona inquired as soon as they were out of earshot. Tagora rocked his head from side to side a couple of times. “I managed to get it, yes.”

“When do you go?” For a second he registered her as being almost 6 again. Looking at her brought him back into reality. “We leave tomorrow night to make sure we’re at the ship hub outside of Thrashthrust by sunrise, and I officially board the night after that.” This time when he expressed his departure there was no crying, no sadness; just cold and to the point facts. He can acknowledge their separation but... he refuses to announce it verbally. 

“That’s soon.” Tirona spoke somberly. “Do you have any idea what will happen when you land where you’re supposed to be at?” Tagora supposed to only luxury of being forced into a job from the beginning is knowing what you’ll be doing for the rest of his life. “I would probably land, go through customs, find whatever position I’m supposed to take over, and practice jurisprudence until I become more of a burden on society than I am a benefit and wait for I either die from old age or die from some sort of rebellion.” 

“I’ve heard it rumors where if you’re good enough with legislaceration you can go wherever you please,” Tirona added. “Not that it matters, I guess; it’s only a rumor I read on some dark web forum.” He watched her eyes stare for the door for the troll to return. A minute passes before Tagora hears her sigh. “What’s wrong?” She shrugged and stared, “You’re gone in two days, and so is Kalbur. Tyzias is de— gone, and Stelsa has been gone.” He saw her look away from him. “I guess I’m still in disbelief that my friends won’t be here.”

“Tirona, aren’t you friends with the other teals at your office?”

“Not really,” She said. “I’m older than everyone else to the point where I feel like a jadeblood; always around younger trolls and correcting them.” Tagora watched as she pursed her lips and looked downwards. “It makes me wonder how you three did it.” 

“Easy, there were three of us,” that earned a laugh from her. “No, seriously. Don’t you remember how I got you to double check your work with Tegiri and Tyzias? It got two other opinions from the others and me an extra hour for personal business.”

“Gross,” her nose scrunched and she stuck her tongue out in disgust. “I don’t even want to know what that accounted for. I’ve been through Tyzias’ computer one too many times to know what you bastards were up to.” There was more to be said but the conversation silenced itself once the troll returned with a couple of ring boxes in hand. “These were the only sizes that I could find in that size sir,” they said as they began to set them on the counter to display. “If these aren’t adequate enough we could perhaps we can alter a ring that meets your standards.” 

“I’m unable to get another one resized,” he glanced over the rings, one in particular catching his eye; a black, metallic band decorated with three navy gems. The chances that the ring sat before him was available in Galekh’s size, color, and main quadrant must have been astronomical. Tagora must’ve been stupid lucky to come across such a band. He quickly turned the clerk’s attention to that specific ring, “How much?” 

“375,” they said kindly in a voice that only spoke customer service. “We are having a sale that can bring your total down by fifteen percent if you buy more than 450 in sales.” Something called over the radio that Tirona carried, she immediately turning its volume down so it wasn’t disruptive. Nosey Kasund; some things just never change.

“I think it’ll just be the ring for tonight,” he said. The clerk took the remaining rings and shut their boxes before taking the ring of Tagora’s interest to the register, motioning the two over. Tagora strode over on a hurry, leaving Tirona to scamper after him. Handing over the credit card to them without another word, the adult looked down to Tirona. “What was said over the radio?”

“Distress in the 4th district,” Tirona said. His interest piqued at that it was the last time that he got to hear the radio. Promptly he was handed his card, a receipt, and the black box he expected. “Sir your other ring is in the box— I placed it there so it wouldn’t it be lost.”

“Thank you,” he said. And like that he wished them a good night before walking out of the store. Tirona kept up after him, “Hey! I’m walking you back to his hive! Wait up!”

Hearing her plead Tagora slowed a bit for her to let her be at his side. One more time. “The walk is going to be at least a mile long. Are you sure you want to walk that far?” She nodded as she ire to catch her breath from the sprint to catch up. “Yeah! I’m not a wriggler anymore! Besides it’s not like I’m going up the stairs!” He rolled his eyes, “Very well. This is the last time you’ll have to come out to escort an adult in public.” 

“No it won’t,” she corrected him. “I’ll be at it until the end of the next wipe. THEN I’ll be good to go until next sweep.” A minute of silence before she speaks up again. “Though I would much rather escort adults around than paperwork... especially if it was you.” Tagora felt some sort of light feeling in his bloodpusher as he stuffed the box and receipt into his jacket pocket. “Only because you know how to do paperwork.”

“There it is,” he said jokingly. “And here I thought we were having a moment for the first time.” He was watching where he stepped to ensure he wasn’t going to misstep or trip. He took notice that trolls began to come out for the evening; they either had their eyes locked on the adult in awe or in the opposite direction out of fear. No one dared to speak to him other than the teal that tagged along. 

“Can we still not have one?” She asked with a forced smile. ”Comedy and tragedy are two sides of the coin of life! One simply cannot exist without the other, really; even when everything looks bad trolls tend to pick up a sense gallows humor.” Tagora sighed at the ramble. “Seriously, listen to what I’m saying! Shakes Pearre’s tragedies had a little comedic relief. If he didn’t, life would be depressing!” He couldn’t disagree with her there but he didn’t speak. He only kept walking and noticed the eyes and backs of heads that faced him. 

“Fine, you want a moment, then this one’s yours,” he caved. “Where do you want to start? Your choice.” 

“I’m never going to see you again!” She said loudly as she dropped the happy facade. Tagora didn’t expect her to come at him so boldly. “This is the last time I’ll ever see you again, and when you’re gone I’m going to never be able to talk to you again because I can’t contact adults off planet!” She seemed genuinely distressed before latching onto him in a hug. Tagora sighed and put a hand on her back, sort of rubbing his fingers in circles in order to console her. He purses his lips before finally looking down. “I sincerely can’t promise that I’ll respond to every message—“

“Wha—“ She squealed up as she looked up to him. Teal tears rolled down her eye ruining he mas— Tagora felt sweeps older as he realized she was ruining her make up with her crying. “Tagora you said it yourself we can’t contact ascended adults! What do you mean?”

“Just don’t have my name listed and we can probably keep in touch,” he glanced at a street clock and realized he seemed to be later than he expected. “How legal is it if I order Gruber to drive me home?” She hugged tighter before letting go, wiping her tears off and pulling her phone out. “I can order it,” she said as she tapped away on the screen. Putting it away she looked back at him. “Same with Kalbur and Sezyat?”

“Same with them, too; I’ll have to get their contacts before sending them,” he spoke softly. He would have to get permission before passing them on. The assurance got her to smile, not noticing the buggy nearby scuttling towards them. A window rolled down, and a concerned troll behind the wheel. Tagora pointed their buggy out to her. She nodded as she got in, “I can tip you a 50 if he can get in no questions asked; he’s harmless.” The driver maintained eye contact as he unlocked the door for them. She smiled and got in the front passenger door, “Thanks! It’s his last day so it’s okay.” Tagora slowly walked to the back of the scuttlebuggy and got inside, taking most of the seat in the back just to avoid knocking his head off of his shoulders. It was going to be a long ride. He pulled his husk out of his pocket and began to type away. 

_bettercallgorgor: Hey I’m finally on my way back to your hive._   
_bettercallgorgor: I did catch a Gruber so it’ll be sooner than expected. Do you need help packing up for tomorrow evening? *________

The messages send but his phone doesn’t receive them. Strange. He put his phone away and stared out of the window, listening to Tirona and the driver’s chatter about mundane life in Alternia. 

It was only a matter of time until they hit the countryside. The conversation continued with a break or so for Tagora to answer a question about ascension; was it scary to think he was leaving very soon? At first, yes. Anything he could suggest for trolls in the future? Be prepared for dates. 

He kept staring out the window waiting.   
Tagora kept the window down to smell the fresh air of the Alternian countryside. One particular inhale caught him off guard; smoke. The legislacerator perked up as he looked round for any sign of smoke. “Do you guys smell that?”

“Tagora,” Tirona pointed outside the window of the driver. With the sign of the buggy slowing down Tagora opened the car door and stepping out, looking as he felt his entire stomach drop. 

On top of the hill sat Galekh’s hive. A once great building is now standing in flames.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: I describe practically Tagora dying of suffocation. Read at your own risk!

Everything he knew in life and the hive was crashing down before his eyes. The flames wretched, glowing brightly as it destroyed everything inside and out. He couldn’t breathe as the house began collapsing on itself. His eyes scaled down to the main door, watching as trolls masked. Laughing. 

“Fuck, adult! Adult!” The group stopped in their tracks running down the stairs before running in a different direction. “Hey!! Hey!!” Tirona yelled as she ran up, pulling her radio out in a panic. “We have an emergency!! I need fire drones to distract 12 and apprehension drones heading towards between districts 12 and 13!!”

Tagora couldn’t feel himself chase after the arsonists. Everything was gone. all of his senses stayed on the fire— everything seemed to go quiet, everything else faded to the background leaving the fire to overwhelm his senses. Galekh wasn’t supposed to go anywhere— he has to have been in the burning building. 

Tagora has nothing to lose anymore; dropping his husk at his side along with the cup and the box, Tagora started to head inside quickly. No one seemed to stop him running— he couldn’t feel anything. Nothing physical, nothing emotional. Tagora left all of his fear and worries at the door as he made his way to the door. 

Not everything was lost; his bags were gone and so was his money, his clothes, his legal, his husk top, his fucking _palmhusk charger_ but there was a chance to save his life. 

The door was quickly approaching and he had to as well in order to break the door down. In a swift slam of his shoulder to the weakened door, Tagora was able to knock it down. 

His eyes were burning immediately from the smoke and ash in the air. He immediately covered his nose and mouth, trying to preserve his amount of air.

There were few rooms that they went into now that ascension was a few days away, all conserved to the ground floor. Immediately he headed towards their respiteblock. He managed to keep his eyes open as me navigated through the inferno, reaching before the handle. 

Hot, too hot. He yelled and let go as his hand seared in pain. He walked back before running to and colliding with the repiteblock door. Clean through the wood and straight down to the floor. It seemed vaguely cooler, breathing any of the escaping air as smoke billowed in. Tagora opened eyes as wide as possible and looked around. No one. 

He heaved for breath before he covered his mouth and nose to get out of the room. Eyes watered as ambers fell. Quickly going down the hall he came to the study door ajar. Pushing it open, nothing could be seen. The ceiling above began to creak before collapsing and disturbing the ash and blowing it as the structure fell. It sent Tagora into a coughing fit as he stumbled past, quickly trying to escape ant further falling support beams or loose ceiling. 

He couldn’t see where he was going, couldn’t figure his way out... he stumbled and fell to the ground, feeling himself fall into the coffee table and breaking through with one swift motion. Face first. Glass lied everywhere, Tagora sluggishly put his hand over the left side of his face. 

His head hurt, eye throbbed, lungs and eyes burned, and mind in the clouds. Everything around him felt so insignificant, but he had to keep going to look for Galekh. Tagora wheezed as he tried to pull himself off of the shattered glass, sluggishly trying to get to the kitchen. 

Where did his strength go? He couldn’t pick himself off the ground. Was this the lack of air available? Throwing himself against two doors? The adrenaline wearing off? The only thing that he could do was watch the smoke come over him, glowing ambers fall to the ground. 

This was it, wasn’t it? 

The thoughts of death haunted him throughout his life, but his concerns were gone; he wasn’t sure if he was calm because the smoke was slowly suffocating him, or if he was finally coming to terms with it as he laid on the coffee table’s broken glass top. This wasn’t an expected way to go; he always thought he was going to suffer until his last breath but everything seemed like it was nothing. Everything felt light— he felt like he was being whisked away from the burning building. The room seemed to move, another wooden crack of the building crumbling on top of him and itself. 

He couldn’t exactly regret much now... only that he should’ve been with Galekh so he wasn’t alone. 

First to go was his sense of hearing. Then it was sense of touch, then vision and finally smell. Tagora felt himself slip off into the darkness. 

And now, there was nothing.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I fucking forgot that his fucking hive was mostly stone so let’s pretend there’s woodwork in his hive. ffs im so sorry about that

**== > READER: Switch to a different POV **

“I will be waiting for you,” Galekh spoke to Tagora softly. The teal picked himself off of the indigo and strode out of the hive’s door, giving Galekh a wave that only told him toodles. Once the door shut Galekh waited just a little bit before rising and walking to one of the windows that faced outward of the hive and down the front steps. Carefully he peered out of the glass, watching Tagora quickly going down the stairs. 

The indigoblood squinted his eyes and found himself stroking his tie; he found himself doing that whenever he was wondering about something, and the biggest question on his mind was what Tagora was really doing. Galekh did not consider himself a jealous quadrantmate, tyranny no, but he knew that Tagora was not being truthful about his whereabouts. Why would Tirona gift him a mug one night and suddenly call Tagora a _prick_ the next? Even with all of the things that he has heard about her over the sweeps, he did not think that she would do such. 

Despite the matter of lying, he thinks he could let it slide; he, too, had to leave his hive during the night and would rather not spoil the surprise just yet. 

Walking away from the window, Galekh turned around to quickly look to the recent messages on an upcoming app— _Trollian,_ as the younger trolls called it. It was the only app that she chose to use nowadays in order to be in the “in” crowd. There were messages from her, muted to not notify anyone around him. Glancing at the messages, he realized that she has been texting him all morning.

_artisticallyUninspired [AU] began trolling galekhXigisi [GX]!_   
_AU: i hope youu dont think this ring is uugly or anything_   
_AU: buut i dont uunderstand why youu couuldnt commission it youurself._   
_AU: did youu get banned from the jewelers?_

He rolled his eyes as he began typing a response. Of course he did not get banned from the jewelry store. 

_GX: No, I did not get banned [1] from the jeweler’s. I asked for you to get the ring because I thought that, as an artist, I could get your opinion on what I described to you as an idea by having you tweak its design to make it fit better._  
 _GX: 1. Do you not remember our agreement about speaking of the places [2] I have been banned from? Would you like a reminder of said agreement?_  
 _GX: 2. You only know about my life-time banishment from the Sourgulp Public Bookhouse because you were there._  
 _AU: oh right youu explained this to me before_  
AU: please no i dont need a refresher on the ban ruule.  
 _GX: Good. Based on your sudden messages from late last morning I am assuming that you have received the ring?_  
 _AU: yes!_  
 _AU: buut i have bad news for youu as well._  
 _AU: i tried the ring on and i cant seem to get it off of me!_

Galekh stuttered, rereading the last two messages in blue text. He has to respond to this carefully; even though Amisia was long past her wriggling years, she was still considerably younger than himself. 

_GX: What the fuck, Amisia?[1]_   
_GX: 1. I apologize for cursing at you, I do not know how to exactly respond to this situation other than asking the aforementioned question._   
_AU: i can explain later buut for right now can we try to get my finger ouut? its tuurning bluue._   
_GX: Where are you currently, your studio or your hive?_   
_AU: do youu not know its the same fuucking place? im in the stuudio part thouugh._   
_GX: That is all I needed to know. I will be on my way momentarily._

He put his phone away with a huff, realizing he would have to embark into Outglut. Hopefully he can go from point A to point B without being spotted by the drones or street-bound officers. 

As his luck would have it, he crossed paths with a street-bound officer. His age and build, he could have been confused with an office worker but after speaking to the short-statured troll he had finally gotten something out of him; tonight happened to be his turn paroling the streets of Alternia as his _boss_ was out and about. Further explanation on Galekh’s part convinced the street officer to allow him to go about his destination accompanied. He was grateful as he could still continue business. It wasn’t too far from the studio. 

After the long walk from the edge of town to the studio, Galekh begins to knock only to be stopped by the younger troll. “Excuse me,” he was awfully quiet, almost to the point of not being heard. “There are rumors going around that she makes her own paint...the artist here.” The indigo looked down to him, noticing the worry on his face. “She does, but she does not paint often.” The look on his face does not become less worried. He only nods, standing a little behind Galekh for protection. The indigo knocks and waits for the door to answer. 

It opens abruptly, answered by her; her hair was still long and almost frizzy. Her white rimmed glasses thick, and her painting apron caked in both warm and cool colors alike. She smiled and stared at him with tired, excited, worried eyes. “Galekh! Wonderful to see you, step inside! Don’t hit your horns on the frame, I hear it can hurt quite a bit!” She quickly strode away from the door to allow the adult inside, the younger teal coming in after him. 

Her studio was how he remembered it; tarps stained over and over in spilled paint, many canvases blank on the wall. The only thing actually had paint on it was sitting in an easel that was turned away from the cityscape. It was unfinished and, from the looks of it, painted when snow still lied on the ground. Yikes. 

“Oh, Galekh, you shouldn’t have!” His attention turned away from the unfinished canvas to her and— fuck— the teal officer. The poor kid looked terrified. Her hands were gently on his face, studying him. “How did you know I was running so low on turquoise?”

“I did not,” he admitted, “but he is not a restock in your supplies I can assure you.” Her bright smile immediately fades as she looked away from the petrified troll. “Oh, he’s working?” He nodded heavily. She sighed and dropped her hands, looking back to the tealblood, “A shame. Your hue is perfect for what I was looking for.” A smile comes back on her face, “If you ever need any caegars in the future, come by and I could get a donation from you.” He gulped at the idea. Teals weren’t easily replaceable, and even a high casted troll could end up in hot water for killing a teal. Amisia quickly turned back to Galekh, throwing her hands in the air, “The ring! Do you want to see it?” She showed him her hand; a heavily washed out, blue gray hand displaying a silver band with 3 stones: a small ruby, equally sized obsidian rock, and a larger turquoise rock between the two. The ring was surely the most eye-catching piece about her hand.

The second most eye-catching thing about it was the ring finger slowly turning blue. Right. He took her hand into his and studied how he could get it off. “What possessed you to put it on?” 

“Since you ordered it I assumed it would be your size! I slid it on, got a picture and realized I couldn’t take it off! If you’ve not noticed, I’ve been trying all day to get it off!” 

“It’s a nice piece,” Galekh looked to notice the troll next to them studying it. “If you happen to have twine of sorts and a needle you can get it off in no time.”

“How so?” He asked, “It will not be damaged, will it?” The teal shook his head before pointing around. “Shall I have a look around?” Amisia shook her head before pointing towards a back room in her studio. “Second door on the left, look immediately to your right to the filing cabinet and open the first drawer. It should be seeing supplies. If it’s not, keep looking in that filing cabinet until you find them.” He nodded before going back, trying to miss any fresh-looking puddles. Now the two blues were alone. 

“So how do you like it?” Amisia asked in attempt to kill the silence. “I thought that the gem types were nice but the band metal would’ve looked horrible with them! You wear so much silver I thought I would change it to that— don’t worry no nickel— and the look of it improved significan—“ 

A shriek from the back room. Galekh looked upwards in concern. “Hey, don’t touch those! I should’ve said something, sorry!” She quickly looked back to him, “The same filing cabinet has a skull or two. Must’ve been the 3rd drawer! Any who, is this what you were looking for?” Before he could answer the question imposed the tealblood returned with the said materials that he went out to get, albeit a little pale in the face after finding skulls. Walking back up he presented them to Galekh. “I’ve already gotten the thread through the eye of the needle, so all you need to do is get the needle under the hand on the other side.” His eyes glance to Amisia, waiting a second before speaking, “You might bleed a little if the needle sticks you but after the string’s under the other side of it we’re wrapping your finger up to the tip so the ring can get off.” Amisia pouted before she took the needle and thread from the teal blood herself and started to get the ting off herself. “Good idea. This might take a moment!”

After a minute of the indigoblood carefully getting the needle underneath the bandand and stretching the thread out enough to start quickly wrapping her finger she looked back up to Galekh. “So you’re ascending soon! What do you think is going to happen to you?” She nodded upwards, “You know, up there?”

“After ascension?” Galekh clarified. She nodded. He thought back to the letter that he was presented with almost 2 wipes ago; the first thing that came to mind was his heartbroken quadrantmate. No need to get too heartfelt as of right now... he had to think back to the actual message. “Well,” he began while collecting his thoughts, “I am not so sure about what the actual occupation is that they want me for, but I am aware that I am going to a place in which is a long-time established colony some solar systems away.” 

“Blue bloods either go for the arts or engineering,” she suggested. “And you’re not very good with machines. Do you remember when I called you to help me with my smoke machine?”

“Very well, yes,” he recalled. “It was working when I left.” 

“No it wasn’t. It caught fire like fire minutes after you left.” She kept staring at him as she wrapped the thread around her finger, the digit becoming bluer and bluer. “My friends and I don’t understand how you got to catch fire. Bottom line is that you’re not a good engineer, so they’re probably looking at you for being an artist. I thought you didn’t draw often.” Still didn’t like other artists but let up when she realizes that they’re not practicing. 

“I do not,” he lied. “Unless someone else has posted them online, that part of the known universe should have not seen my work. The only thing that I know for fact is online is published works.” She nodded as she realizes what he might be going up there to do. “Galekh they want you for your writing, then.” He watched as she took the other end of the string and began to unravel it, the ring beginning to move towards the tip. 

“I’ve read some of your work and I’ll admit, I fell asleep. It’s not my cup of tea; however you put a lot of detail into your writing in a way where it’s concise. I think they’re going to have you write about stuff.” She looked down as she realized the ring was up to her knuckle. Taking the band, she was able to slip it off with ease and handed it to Galekh. “I don’t think being a fiction author is a job, so maybe you get to travel and write news stuff.” 

“I see your reasoning behind that.” He thought about the idea... and it seems more likely than anything else. Taking the ring and looking at it before securing it in an inside jacket pocket. “Do you really think that my work reached that far?” 

“It’s possible,” she was looking at her finger and bending it, inspecting it it will get better. “You said that you have your work online, and I know that Chahut can still get online. Adults probably saw your work and wanted you to be a reporterror! That’s what permanently established colonies do— become permanent and report important things about the empire!” She looked up with a confident smile. He met her gaze with an unenthusiastic look. She stopped smiling. “You don’t seem excited. I thought you were the type of person to get excited about being able to write for the rest of your life. Why aren’t you excited?” 

“I am leaving everything in my life that I have known behind into something that is completely unknown and...” _and without him._ “I am completely alone on this journey.” She rolled her eyes at the statement. “While there are going to be other trolls that are with me, too, no one will be together in this. Quadrants are broken up in order to make trolls more devoted to work rather than to each other.”

“You don’t think trolls find other quadrantmates after ascension?” She asked. “Others might. I don’t think I ever could move on from Tagora.” He tried to think about everything that made him realize that he couldn’t move on. 

He had black feelings for him, undoubtably. Every time he met Tagora and heard of his accomplishments, he had the urge to get one step ahead of him— one up what he has done to show that he is, essentially, a better kismesis than his quadrantmate and not due to his social status. He liked the excitement of the rivalry they share; he reciprocated a huge amount of respect to Tagora as a person rather than his work practices; he despised him whenever the teal had the upper hand, and knew that the reverse situation was true. 

But he had other confusing feelings for him; whenever he saw Tagora step away from his confident facade in private to reveal his anxious-ridden nature, Galekh was unable to do anything that a typical pitch partner would do. Instead, he found himself validating legitimate concerns and comforting him about the negative aspects of his night. He made sure he would keep himself together and spend countless hours to pick up the pieces to help him collect himself. A normal kismesis would have told him that he was acting childish and to compose himself on his own, or forcibly taken him to get help, or make quips about the situation. His kismesissitude was not the kismesissitude that was depicted in mainstream media; those relationships were borderline abusive even on a pitch level. 

His relationship with Tagora was highly different; the closest description he was able to manage was having the basis of respect and attraction, both concupiscent and conciliatory, that manifests in rivalry, sympathy, and occasional affection. 

Was this a healthy kismesissitude, a case of vacillation between pitch and flush feelings, or being Tagora’s simultaneous matesprit and kismesis? 

He sighed, “Yeah, I do not think I could ever move on from Tagora.” As he tried to recover from the awkward time of silence, the tealblood’s radio crackled before someone’s voice came over the line. 

_“We have an emergency!! I need fire drones to distract 12 and apprehension drones heading towards between districts 12 and 13!!”_

Both bluebloods turned to the radio, he meekly pulling it out and radioing to the distress. All the while, pulling up his sleeve to reveal some device on his wrist that, to Galekh’s guess, sent orders to the corresponding drones out to the distressed location. “The drones are en route. Kasund, what’s the problem in district 12?” 

“Tirona?” She was shushed by Galekh to allow him to hear the radio. 

_“Tyrrik!!”_ Interference made the radio briefly cut in and out before coming clear again. _“—set a hive on fire outside of Outglut. Arsonists are fleeing toward district 13, I need dro— Tagora??_ His stomach dropped hard, realizing what has happened. _“Tagora, what are you doing?”!_

“I believe I know where the crisis is at,” Galekh spoke softly, still gobsmacked at the revelations as he tried to listen to anything further. The tealblood— _Tyrrik,_ as Tirona called him— caught the message before radioing back to her. “What’s going on now? The hiveowner and I are about to be en route as well, but is there anything else I should summon?”

_”Tagora just went inside and the hive’s collapsing— we need help!”_

“En route now,” he shut off the radio and put it away before looking to Galekh. “Do you know the way?”

“It’s my hive,” he said, feeling more worried about the situation. His heart was pounding, stomach heavy, hard to breathe. “Had I driven I we could have been there faster—“ Galekh wheezed. 

Amisia sighed heavily before grabbing her keys off of the hook. The jingle of the metal made him turn and— where was her apron? It was gone, finally noticing the black overalls, indigo sweater, and multi-colored, blood-stained converse she wore. “I have a buggy. Just come on and direct me before your hive is nothing but embers and coals!” 

Neither hesitated. Out the door they went. 

The hill was chaos. Absolute pandemonium. Fire drones apparently do not put fires out unless the building was deemed able to be saved but many of them only hovered around as the building collapsed on itself and waited to collect and categorized the corpses to confirm death and notify the empire. The instance Amisia stopped, Galekh quickly got out of the car— jumped out as it screeched to a halt. Running up the hill, he got closer and closer to the smoke rising from the ruins of his hive. Adrenaline did not make him exhausted, only rather panicked about what he would see on top.

The first thing that he distinctive heard was crying. Looking for it, he realized it came from a teal girl sobbing, collapsed into the hold of a troll with their hood up, crouched down and trying to silently console her. He quickly stopped, realizing it was Tirona. “What’s going on?” 

The other troll looked up, only prevalent thing about them were the dark green irises staring back. “He walked in and didn’t come out. She called us in hysterics. My ‘rail just went inside to find him.” She looked back down to try to soothe her sobbing. Galekh looked worriedly down to her, kneeling and trying to comfort her. She pulled away and sniffled as she she wiped away black streaks of make up and tears. “H-He di-didn-n’t SAY anyth-thing!” She was not able to make a full sentence without heaving. “He dro-oped his husssk and went IN.” The other troll rubbed at her back to calm her down. 

A sudden crack made them all look to the hive, watching as part of the roof collapsed in. Galekh stood up high to try to see past the smoke that billowed out of the door, looking for any sign of anyone coming out. Nothing— he started to lose hope. “The drones are going behind the hive,” the troll pointed at s couple of them hovering towards the other side. She got up, pulling Tirona to her feet gently. Galekh took the teal on his hip before motioning the troll to come along. 

The olive blood ran towards the drones much quicker than he could imagine. He started after her, seeming to trail behind her no matter what. He felt like he couldn’t think— only do. He could only follow her, only carry a crying teen on his hip, only run towards a gathering group of drones on his hip.

As he rounded the corner, the sight he saw made him slow down before he collapsed to his knees. Tirona held on to him all the while, able to see what had transpired. 

A back door broken hung outside of the hive. One drone hung around someone standing in front of it, and two tower over _something_. Galekh watched as the troll ran to the two drones to take a look at what they surrounded before kneeling downwards. She sprang upwards before looking to the drone. 

Galekh stood back up and set Tirona down and walked toward her. He glanced to the side to find what the one drone was facing towards; its chest compartment was opened and he saw Tagora’s old co-worker manually inputting information. A glance upwards toward the indigo made him stop and quickly motion him over. Galekh could only do so, approaching him. 

He was covered in ash and soot, parts of his clothes, hat, and hair singed. “Don’t look behind you,” he said. Tegiri was abnormally tall for a teal blood. As Galekh tried to, he felt his hand push its way back to not face what was directly behind him. “Seriously, Gal, do not look behind you; it doesn’t look good for him.” 

“What are you doing?” Galekh asked exasperated. Looking at the screen, nothing really made sense; just coordinates and old fashioned commands for the drones. “Contacting the ship he’s supposed to be on; I was able to get his information and I’m directing for him to be immediately transported to ship.”

“But he needs to go to a hospital—“ Tegiri looked to him with cold eyes as he shut the chest compartment. “There’s a block on most ships that are a little more advanced than an infirmary. I checked with the ship’s number to confirm that there was one—“

“The ship hub is more than a half an hour away, he could _die_ —“ Tegiri cut him off. 

“Drone travel would cut that trip by a third—“ Galekh felt a low vibration in his throat, eyebrows furrowed. “He’s going to the hospital— you’re going to redirect that drone to the hospital now.” Tegiri kept his glare on him, not opening the compartment. “Tegiri Kalbur.” 

He watched as the teal blood stiffened a little at the tone of his voice— what others called the _highblood tone;_ a way of referring to when you piss a high blood off and they use a bold, matter-of-fact way to speak to castes lower than then. Galekh rarely ever used it— only when Tagora wanted him to. Without making eye contact Tegiri answered, “I’m his friend. I’m not reprogramming the drone.”

“But—“

“BUT,” he turned to look at Galekh, pissed, “nothing! The longer we bicker, the shorter amount of time he has to get help. So unless you want to waste more time with me inputting another location to a hospital that will make him miss his ship— and I doubt you want that to happen— I suggest you let him get to the fucking ship via drone so he doesn’t fucking die,” Tegiri huffed and kept eye contact, breaking it when the drone shifted. Its arms shifted to open upwards as it prepares to carry Tagora to the hub. Galekh looked between it, the pissed off ex-cop in front of him, and back to the other two drones. Tirona propped an ash and soot covered head in her lap, and Tegiri’s moirail checking how he breathed. Another quick glance between the drone and Tagora before Galekh began walking to the three. 

Any inability to have emotions went away as he saw him laying motionless on the ground. “Is he ok-kay?” He raised his glasses to wipe tears as he looked at him. “Breathing is shallow,” she admitted. “I can hang on to the drone in flight to make sure nothing happened.” Galekh blinked the tears away before he felt for the inner jacket pocket for the ring, quickly pulling it out and looking to it. Looking back to her, he offered it to her. “Make sure this gets to him. Please.” She took it and studied the piece as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a teal coffee cup before opening the lid. “In with the others,” she murmured before replacing the cup and looking to Tagora. She got up and bent down to pick him up in her arms, his limbs falling downward as if he were a rag doll, his head tilted backwards to reveal the damage done to his face. 

Galekh stood up and took a last look at both of them before bending over to the teal and kissing him on the forehead. “Farewell, Tagora; may your ancestors look after and guide you when you awake,” he murmured to him before standing fully up and nodded to her. She nodded back before walking towards the drone prepared to leave, setting his body in its arms before walking around it and mounting its back. She finally took off her hood and spare horns to show her face. “I’ll find our ship and pre-board. Bring my stuff, ok?”

“Don’t get caught,” he warned. 

The drone metallically croaked alive before it rose from the ground. In a quick and careful motion it elevated higher than the hive itself before going off into the distance. 

Galekh watched as they left, lip quivering as his eyes watered again. A hand on his back, “I feel like you need someone to cry on—“ 

Sold. Galekh took the teal adult into an iron grip and broke down on him. Pats on the back and _there there_ was nothing when it came to what looked like the death of his partner but it was so much more comforting than being entirely alone. At least not right now. The only comfort he had was that he was able to say goodbye and give him one last thing before they separated.


	13. Chapter 13

Everything was a haze; time and space didn’t seem to exist. One minute he saw the hive in flames and the next he lay flat on his back, staring at the harsh light that was in his face. This was it, wasn’t it? Existence beyond the life that he was granted on Alternia. What the subjugglators prophesied to be the Dark Carnival in which the party never stopped. Perhaps it was the new world that the Sufferer spoke of in his teachings in which blood did not determine status. The bright glow made him close tiredly shut his eyes as he very carefully began to rise from the horizontal surface that he lie on. 

Muscles began to groan in agony as he moved forward, making him realize that his existence wasn’t in an afterlife. Finally opening his eyes, he focused on what was directly in front of him: a board, black Alternian scrawlings that wrote off information.

_TAGORA GORJEK_  
_TEAL-JADE CUSP_  
_10 SWEEPS_  
_TRAUMA TO CHEST, LEFT EYE, RIGHT HAND_

His attention immediately shifted downwards to his chest, duly noting the bandaging and deep turquoise seeping through them. Then to his hand, equally bandaged. From the skin exposed it was an unnatural teal color than from its usual gray hue. What did he burn it with so badly? Recalling back to the night only makes him realize the gap in time and memory than any answers. Looking back to the board he saw the words staring back at him; _left eye._

It dawned on him that he couldn’t see past the left side of his face. A quick but gentle hand flew up to where his eye should be only to be. More bandaging. It shouldn’t have surprised him the amount that it did when he didn’t feel his own face. He had to know, _he had to--_

Tagora grazed his fingers around it, determining the only possible thing keeping him from the left side of his vision was an adhesive bandage. Getting his now blunt claws to the edge he stuttered for a second. 

Come on, Gorjek. It’s like ripping off a bandaid. It will only hurt for a second. 

With a flick of his wrist it was off. Nothing. He made sure that he was trying to close his left eye before letting his fingers prod at the area. The skin around it was sensitive but nothing else obscured its path to the board; no cotton, nothing. Opening his eyes wide and turning his head to the right, and--

A mirror. He was face to face with a mirror. He wanted to try to see if he could still read the board with his right eye facing away but instead he had an answer. It came from a vibrant red coloring of the left eye. A breath shuddered as he tried to look everywhere else that wasn’t the damaged organ. 

The skin surrounding the socket had the same tint to that his hand possessed. His hair seemed like a mess from the heat damage but pulled back in a tight, tight bun, and he had on different clothes. Form fitting, breathable plants made out of unidentifiable fabric, and a long-sleeved button-up that exposed his injured chest. Upon closer inspection he noted an emblem on the right side of his chest; his sign in teal. The liga was a different material, one that felt smooth when he ran his fingers against it. It should’ve been where a name tag would’ve gone back in Outglut. This must’ve been the transition from disassociating with a name and being recognized by a title. 

It became too much, Tagora quickly got to his feet and steadied himself before colliding with the wall. He had to get somewhere. He couldn’t just stay in the infirmary. His vision darted for the door before he could drag himself towards it. There wasn’t a handle, how was he supposed to get out?

Panicked Tagora looked around the frame before spotting some panel off to the side. He’s seen it in one of Gale--

Holy fucking shit he had to get out of this place. 

Sticking his good palm on the panel he felt _something_ move underneath it, pressing against his skin. The door opened before an automated voice spoke out from the PA that seemed to only be in the infirmary. _“Infirmary Block A is no longer secure.”_

Taking his hand back he looked at what was beyond the door. A window showing the outside of Alternia. The sky was dangerously light, and there were so many outside. His stomach knotted in anxiety at the number of trolls outside. Ascension must be nearing. He stepped out of the room and glanced around, gaze falling on the sight of a door. Spilling out of the room and towards it, he put his hand on a similar panel and staring at the door. The lights went red and a hiss came from the door before it began to disengage from being locked. _“Sector 1 has been breached. Please remain in your cabins until security has been cleared.”_

Tagora gulped like a guilty wriggler before pulling the door open with all of his strength, squeezing through the crack in the metal door. Looking forward, he saw his light at the end of a dark corridor. He could hear the people, smell the Alternian air, find someone he knew one last time just to know what had happened to him. His body was screaming in pain and exhaustion but he knew he couldn’t give up now. Not now. He had to leave the hallway that connected the ship and the boarding dock. As he neared the edge of the tunnel, he began to make out more and more detail before finally stepping forward into the boarding dock. 

The first thing he realized was that the voices he heard were below the docks, those of inhabitants of Alternia. The dock was void of just about everyone, save for guards that stood by entrances to make sure of late-coming stowaways and escapees from the ship trying to avoid going back onto the planet. He felt hands on him. Signless, damn it, they thought he was trying to escape. 

_“Where do you think you’re off to?”_ Someone behind him boomed in a voice that made Tagora go stiff. The troll held him closer and restrained his arms. Other guards were quickly approaching. Tagora scanned at their faces and noticed that they were either indigo or purple. Big ones, at that. “Nowhere,” Tagora stuttered out as he looked downwards with his eyes wide. One of the others delicately put a clawed hand to his chin before tilting it upwards to get a better look. The other guard was a clown; wild hair, intoxicated purple eyes on an angry red. His face paint accented at how sharp his teeth were followed by colored paints from his lower lip to his chin. Slowly the clown smiled toothily before bending down past his face to study the sign. “Boy’s that teal that came nights ago and all fucked his pan up,” he murmured to the others. “D’ya think that he woke up all fucked up in the pan thinking he was late to his first night in schoolfeed? Should we turn him in to the big boss?”

“No,” a very pissed off looking indigo-blooded troll said as she roughly took Tagora’s face into her hand and jerked to make him face her. Her attitude radiated vibes only Nihkee Moolah could emit, but was no way her as the troll in front of him was neither her height, nor missing her leg, nor as muscular as she was. “CLEARLY this blue-hued lowblood traitor was just trying to escape! We should treat him with as much compassion as we do with other escapees and turn him in to his captain and reporting officer!”

_“That’s no fun,”_ the person behind him breathed as he snake one harm to his neck before pulling Tagora back, forcing him to expose his neck to the others. _“Why don’t we christen the voyages of the Imperialists by sacrificing him to the Mirthful Messiahs to bring them good luck?”_

__“OR,” A fourth voice loudly stated, making everyone surrounding Tagora freeze in fear just as he did earlier. “You could hand him to me.” The two in front of him looked behind themselves before clearing his sight. Tagora raised his head in time to lay his eyes on the troll, just barely shorter than them; tightly bound, short locks of hair curled against his skull, an impressive amount of muscle tone showing through a highly similar uniform to Tagora’s own, bright indigo framed glasses, and eyes that quickly phased from a pissed off gaze to a confused glance to a horrified and relieved stare, all the while not changing his expression. Tagora felt his pulse stop._ _

__Galekh._ _

__“Hey,” said the first purple blood, “That was my idea!” Galekh shot him a look of daggers, quieting him all down. “I am reporting what has happened tonight to upper management. All three of you, I want you down to the highblood zone,” his eyes shifted back the tealblood. _“I’ll_ deal with him.” _ _

__“But--” Galekh looked to the other indigo and burned holes into her. She piped down before they began to head down the dock, the troll behind Tagora the last to let go and follow them. Tagora watched as they all headed down the loading dock further and further away. He looked back shortly after back to Galekh. His stern expression dropped to heavy concern. _“Darling,”_ he spoke just above a whisper, _“what in the absolute fuck were you thinking?”__ _

__“I wanted to see you--”_ _

___“I meant about the fucking hive,”_ he hissed a little louder. “You could’ve died. You got hurt-- Tagora, I was so scared.” Tagora picked on the falter in his voice. Before he could answer Tagora watched as Galekh look up and dropped his weakness as he looked on past him. Tagora could only turn around, stuttering as he did so._ _

__Two much older trolls stood at the end of the hallway; one stoic violet that began to lose the pitch in his hair to reveal lighter tones in his hair, eyebrows and beard, the other much younger indigo who certainly didn’t seem pleased at the situation. “What the hell is going on?”_ _

__“Nothing,” Galekh lied through his teeth. “I was dealing with guards that were discussing rather… unsavory things that they were planning on doing to this, ah, tealblood. I intervened and prevented a rather gruesome sacrifice on boarding. I was just about to take action with him.” The older indigo’s eyebrows furrowed as his gaze went back and forth between Tagora and Galekh before looking to the violet. Unperturbed the elderly man nodded, “Excellent work. What do you plan to do?”_ _

__“Turn him in to his commanding officer and you, Captain,” Tagora nodded in agreement and pointed to Galekh. “What he said-- I was just trying to--”_ _

__“To what?” He began to get blue in the face as he approached Tagora. “I don’t want to hear another word out of your lowly green ass, you hear?” Tagora nodded, watching anxiously as the older indigo turned to Galekh with wild, angry eyes. “Do you know this troll prior to tonight?”_ _

__“Yes.”_ _

__“What’s the orientation of your relationship?”_ _

__“We are in a quadrant, sir,” Galekh answered. “Two, actually; we’re in vacillation,” Tagora corrected him. His wild eyes went back to Tagora before realizing the meaning behind them, looking almost repulsed at the idea of the relationship. Looking between them, the older indigo-- his commanding officer, as Tagora guessed-- leaned to Tagora. “I never want to see you do something like this again. If you have the urge to be insubordinate for this sick shit again, I’m going to hand you over to the clowns. Are you going to have this problem again?” Tagora nodded slowly before he backed away to look at Galekh. “Scram, it’s almost dawn.” The older indigo turned around and headed back to the ship. Tagora looked at the violet, who only offered a nod towards the ship. Tagora gulped as he got its meaning and began to go back to his ship, possibly back to the infirmary. Once surpassing the violetblood, he thought. His stomach twisted as he had to do one final thing._ _

__In a snap decision, Tagora turned back around and ran. “Galekh!”_ _

__“Tag--”_ _

__The tealblood ran to him and bolted upwards to smash his lips into his kismesis. His matesprit. His fucking boyfriend. It felt as if time and space stopped around them just to stare in astonishment, letting the pair get one final goodbye. Galekh only broke it to shudder out a breath, “I love you.”_ _

__“I loathe you,” Tagora stole a quick kiss before a firm, yet gentle hand forced them to part. “Get along now before the sun will burn you alive.” Galekh nodded as he turned and began to head in the direction that he forced the other guards in. Tagora was guided off of the ramp and through the hallway back upwards to the ship._ _

__Once Galekh was out of sight, Tagora begrudgingly looked forward. “What will happen now?” He wasn’t sure what exactly would happen now that his life on Alternia had ended. The elder didn’t hesitate to speak, “Get boarded and you secure in your cabin. Now that there’s a delay in lift off, you should have time to settle down. Maybe once everything seems like it’s good to go, the Manageer will tear you a new one for setting us back an hour off course,” Tagora looked up in time to meet eyes with the captain’s. “I think that whatever he wasn’t here for doesn’t have to be added to whatever he may bring up.”_ _

__Tagora nodded as they got to the inside of the ship, finding no one but another tealblooded troll. Similar uniform; Tagora recognized her but was in sheer disbelief. “Take him to an empty cabin and make sure his things are redirected to the block.” The woman painted on a smile long enough for the captain to go before looking down to Tagora. “You look like hell, man. I’ll let Tegs know that you’re not dead.” She took Tagora’s arm before leading him down a hallway. He realized how he knew her, “You’re faking your blood color?”_ _

__“I didn’t want to, per se,” she said as they stopped to a door, pressing his good hand to the panel before the door unlocked and she dragged Tagora into a horrifically small block; just barely taller than what he was and big enough to fit a recuperacoon, a horizontal platform, and a dresser. The top drawer was open, all of his belongings that he dropped outside lying inside. The only true bright side to the room was a air-tight window. “Tegs said it was better to assume an identity rather than hide in the vents,” Tagora looked to her and gulped._ _

__“Oh yeah, before I forget to mention to you, I did hear from a little songbeast that you bought a ring for your quadrantmate so I managed to get that to you. He had the same idea-- it’s in the drawer. Also, Tegiri gave you his palm husk charger to make sure you had some sort of connection to someone else that you knew,” Polypa moved her hands as she talked, “Like either on planet, off planet, or secretly living with someone after presumed dead for a handful of sweeps.”_ _

__“Thank you,” Tagora finally spoke. “To you and Tegiri.” She smiled before leaving, Tagora watching the door shut, finally leaving him alone._ _

__Alone._ _

__Tagora barely moved to spot the window, watching as the trolls became scarce just as the sun was rising. He moved away before getting on the platform and lying down, closing his eyes and trying to collect himself as he thought about the changes of his life. He felt himself beginning to drift off in slumber as he held onto the memories of his old life, old friends, old town, his lusus, and his boyfriend._ _

__His last thought made him feel sick; what an irony it was to grow up. Wrigglers wanted to grow up and have power in their lives in order to be happy, yet the adults could never achieve either under the Alternian empire. It was a sick joke, especially considering that life as an adult was lonely when he was separated from everyone that he's ever known. All he had now was the ring and the memories of a simpler, more innocent time._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this series because I felt scared to go to college. 
> 
> I just want to say thank you to everyone for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> I am so sorry for this.


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